BOOK NEWS: November 26, 2024

Thanks to the holiday week, there’s only a couple of new books to highlight this week. If you are thinking about some Christmas shopping, be sure to check out my Holiday Hint List posts here.

Books for Adults


Church Girl (Trade Paperback) – A young woman on the run from her family and her wedding gets a job as a nanny for a grumpy tattoo artist.
The Jewel of the Isle (Trade Paperback) – A woman trying to finish her late father’s bucket list hires a tour guide to help her navigate an unfamiliar island. What she doesn’t know is the brother who did the touring has passed away and his non-outdoorsy sibling is trying to keep the family business afloat.

BOOK NEWS: November 19, 2024

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids


The Purple One: A Story on Prince – A picture book biography of Prince.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


Mallory In Full Color – A kid who tends to keep her true thoughts and feelings to herself and her webcomic finds herself in trouble when her comic goes viral, and her true thoughts are seen by everyone,  putting her one potential friendship in jeopardy.
Take It from the Top – Scenes from six summers of camp explore a friendship – and a fracture – between two girls.
Dead Below Deck – It’s a mystery at sea when an heiress is killed and her friends are suspects.
If You Can Hear This – When the AV Club’s beloved sponsor goes missing, the club members and their newest addition start investigating.
Thanks for Listening – A girl whose advice is never followed creates an anonymous account where she can give advice to her friends that they might actually follow – but it also reveals secrets she didn’t know.

Books for Adults


The Half King (Hardcover) – Cursed nobility includes a king in danger of fading away permanently on his 21st birthday. A “seer” with no gift for seeing and other secrets may be the only one who can save him.
The Serpent and the Wolf (Hardcover) – A woman fighting against the darkness growing inside her is married off to a rival king so when her power leads to her death, her brother can invade the other kingdom. But her new husband offers her both her freedom but also information about her magic. Yes, please!
Shell Games (Trade Paperback) – When her mother makes a wild claim that her new husband confessed to a murder, Julie has to figure out if her mother has become paranoid or if she was conned by her new husband – or if something else is going on.

BOOK NEWS: November 12, 2024

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


Best Wishes: Like a Boss – Book 4 in the Best Wishes series about a wish-granting bracelet and a girl who makes a wish and becomes in charge of EVERYTHING.
The Winterton Deception: Fault Lines – Book 2 in the series. Hope and Gordon are drawn into a hunt for new clues to find people they aren’t sure they even want to see again. I have got to catch up on book one – this sounds exactly like the sorts of books I love.
Games Untold – Book 5 in the Inheritance Games series is a collection of short stories about the characters of this series.
Heist Royale – Book 2 in the Thieves’ Gambit series.
In Want of a Suspect – Lizzie Bennet (from the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series) is back, working at her father’s law firm and hired to investigate a warehouse fire that turns into a murder investigation. I ADORED the first series and have already preordered this.
Our Deadly Designs – Sequel to This Dark Descent. The hunt is on for the lost heir, but the competitors in that hunt are also pursuing their own personal agendas.

Books for Adults


All’s Fair in Love and Treachery (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Lady Petra Inquires series. Lady Petra discovers the death of her fiancé 3 years ago was murder. And the culprit seems to be her secret paramour.
The Courting of Bristol Keats (Hardcover) – Bristol and her sisters think their parents are dead, but then Bristol starts getting letters from a previously unknown aunt. And she finds out her father might have been kidnapped – and taken back to the realm where he was from.
Her Knight at the Museum (Trade Paperback) – An art conservator breaks the magic enchantment on a knight and then becomes a suspect in the disappearance of his “statue” while he adjusts to the modern world.
I’ll Be Home for Mischief (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series. As Holly preps for Christmas and her first wedding anniversary, she’s also looking for a killer – again.
Imperfectly Perfect (Trade Paperback) – A jilted-at-the-altar wedding planner teams up with her college ex to fake date their way into something each of them needs.
Servant of Earth (Hardcover) – First in the Shards of Magic series about a servant who is charged with helping her fae mistress survive six deadly trials.
Sons of Star Trek (Graphic Novel) – A collection of four episodes of the comics series starring the sons of Captain Sisko, Rom, and Worf.
Toto (Trade Paperback) – Toto gets to tell the story of The Wizard of Oz.
Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso the Show that Kicked Its Way Into Our Hearts (Hardcover) – A behind the scenes look at this fantastic show!
How to Dungeon Master Parenting: A Guidebook for Gamifying the Child Rearing Quest, Leveling Up Your Skills, and Raising Future Adventurers (Trade Paperback) – A parenting book based on D&D.

BOOK NEWS: November 5, 2024

Here are some of the books releasing this week to kick off November.

Books for Kids


Yes, Chef! It’s Snack Time (Board Book) – A darling story about making a fruit salad. The artwork is fantastic!
The Critter Club: Marion’s Warm Welcome – Book 28 in this chapter book series full of fun animals and friendship stories.
Scare School Diaries: Forest Frights – Book 2 in this not-too-scary series by Jarrett Lerner. Bash the ghost has a couple of mischievous vampires in his project group, and he is worried they could ruin his grade.

Books for Older Kids/ Teens/Young Adults


Mr. Lemoncello’s Fantabulous Finale – The sixth and final book in the Mr. Lemoncello series.
Where Is Yellowstone?
Who Is Taylor Swift? (Deluxe Edition) – The Deluxe Edition is hardcover with special endpapers and sprayed page edges.
A Diamond Bright & Broken – A girl who has been used for her tears which become diamonds seeks out the Mage Queen to learn more about her gift/curse.
Teen Titans: Starfire (Graphic Novel) – Book 6 in the incredible Teen Titans series. I pre-ordered this a YEAR ago, and I will drop everything to read this when it finally arrives. The author has released the cover for the next book – Teen Titans Together – which will release in 2025, and it looks AMAZING!

Books for Adults


The Author’s Guide to Murder (Hardcover) – Three writers are suspects when their host is killed during a visit to his castle. This sounds amazing!
The Gardener’s Plot (Hardcover) – When her friend goes missing and a body is found in their community garden, Maggie is determined to find the real killer.
Janie’s Got a Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Aerosmith (Trade Paperback) – 16 crime authors celebrate the band Aerosmith as the band heads into retirement by turning out stories based on their music. This whole premise is fantastic!
Let It Snow : Cozy Mysteries for Winter (Trade Paperback, November 10) – A collection of mysteries for the season by one author. A great way to check out some of her characters/series.
Mistletoe Mischief (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Falling in Mistletoe series. A tour guide looking to boost business invites a podcaster to Mistletoe, Idaho but he doesn’t realize the public face of the podcast is a different person than the one behind the mic.
Mr. Nice Spy (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the My Spy series. A fireworks designer is on the run from her escaped arms dealer father. Before the CIA can convince her to work with them as bait to catch her father, she and one of the agents are kidnapped. Sounds fantastic!
Pony Confidential (Hardcover) – A woman accused of murder is helped by the pony she had as a child. Sounds fun and quirky!
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Asylum – Pike’s early memories with Una at the Academy become pertinent during their life on the Enterprise when faced with a terrorist attack.
Teller of Small Fortunes (Trade Paperback) – A fortune teller with a past joins up with an unexpected found family as they try to find a missing child. This sounds lovely and cozy for November.
The State of Old Testament Studies: A Survey of Recent Research (Paperback) – An Old Testament collection like the Pauline collection I reviewed in October. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.

BOOK NEWS: November 28, 2023

Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Teens/Young Adults


Betting on You – A YA release from Lynn Painter. Two teens who are convinced they have nothing in common start betting on a budding relationship between their coworkers as well as fake dating to disrupt things with her mom’s new boyfriend. But when the two start moving toward more-than-friends status, a secret can destroy what is growing between them. Yes please!
Didn’t See That Coming – A YA release from Jesse Q. Sutanto. A girl gamer who hides behind a male persona online transfers to a school where her online best friend goes – but she doesn’t know who he is. I am looking forward to reading and reviewing this one soon!

Books for Adults


The Twelve Kittens of Christmas (LGBTQ+ Trade Paperback) – Killian is just being a nice guy when he tells a friend’s brother that he can sleep on his couch until he gets back on his feet. And it was a fluke that they rescued those two kittens, but as two kittens becomes more, the relationship between the two unexpected roommates might become more as well. This sounds adorable, so of course I put it on my Christmas list!
Road Queens (Trade Paperback) – When tragedy strikes, a group of bikers that were helping victims of domestic violence disbands. But several years later they reconnect when one is accused of murdering someone from their past. This sounds AMAZING! So it’s also on my Christmas list.

BOOK NEWS: November 21, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving Week! There’s just two books on my release calendar this week, but that only means you have some extra time to explore this year’s Holiday Hint List – or the Padlet that allows you to check out all of the covers. Enjoy!

 

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


The Nightcrawlers (Graphic Novel) – When a kid at school believes his parents have been replaced by werewolves, the Nightcrawlers promise to look into the claim. The author of this one reached out and asked if I would consider adding this to Book News. I got a kick out of the premise with the mystery/fantasy mash up. I’ll be looking for this one at the bookstore to check it out in person. 
Ink Girls
 (Graphic Novel) – A printer’s apprentice goes into hiding when her master is arrested for speaking truth to power. This was fantastic! It’s on this year’s Holiday Hint List, and I’ll be posting a full review soon.

BOOK NEWS: November 14, 2023

Happy almost-Thanksgiving! Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids


Mothman’s Merry Cryptid Christmas – Mothman gets a special request for Christmas. This book is so fun! It’s on my 2023 Holiday Hint List this year. You can check out this year’s list as well as past ones here.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Punycorn (Graphic Novel) – The smallest unicorn in Carbuncle is the only one who can fight for the city when an ogre attacks. This was a hoot! I’ll post a review soon, but this one also made this year’s Holiday Hint List.
Above the Trenches (Graphic Novel) – Book 12 in the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous tales nonfiction graphic novel series. Read about the squadron of American fighter pilots in France’s Lafayette Escadrille.
Artifacts of an Ex – After getting dumped, a girl turns her break up box – and those of her peers – into art. This sounds fantastic!

Books for Adults


Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord (Hardcover) – First in the new Lady Petra Inquires series.  After losing her fiancé, Lady Petra has declared that she will never marry. When she discovers an asylum where men are leaving their inconvenient wives and daughters, she decides to use her wealth and her access to do something about it. SO excited to read this one!
Mom Com (Trade Paperback) – Maddi is headed home after a very public breakdown, but instead of going to a place of comfort and safety, she’s sure it will be filled with her mother’s criticism and painful decisions about her late father’s beloved bakery. What she isn’t expecting is to run into her ex.

BOOK NEWS: November 7, 2023

Happy November! Here are some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids


The Big Cheese – Book 7 in the Food Group series. The Big Cheese is used to always coming out on top – and bragging to everyone about his wins. But what happens when someone else takes first place?
Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year – Lily’s teacher helps her deal with her worries when she moves to a new town. I have already preordered this one!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


All Is Found – A collection of original Frozen stories.
Duel (Graphic Novel) – Battling sisters face off in a duel when they struggle with being at middle school together. This looks great!
Escape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library (Graphic Novel) – The first Mr. Lemoncello book gets the graphic novel treatment – and it is not to be missed! I’ll be posting a review soon, but this one is already on my 2023 Holiday Hint List which released last week.
Just Lizzie (Older Middle Grade – LGBTQ+) – A class on asexual reproduction in plants leads a teen to consider questions about her own sexual identity.
Keeper of the Lost Cities (Graphic Novel) – The first book in the series by the same name gets the graphic novel treatment. This is the *first half* of the prose novel – so readers should be aware the story is split into two volumes. This is a series I always meant to try but never got around to. Maybe the GN is the way to dive in.
Check & Mate – Blockbuster romance author Ali Hazelwood ventures into YA this week! A girl who insists she has left chess behind agrees to do one last charity tournament and then wipes the floor with the reigning world champ.
Wish of the Wicked – A cursed fairy godmother uses a girl and a ball as her way to get back at the queen who destroyed her family in this reimagined Cinderella. Yes, please!
With or Without You – A new book from Eric Smith. Two teens from rival families have played up the rivalry for tourists, never letting on that they are really in love. But then they end up on reality TV.
Wren Martin Ruins It All (LGBTQ+) – An asexual teen who wants to abolish his school’s annual Valentine’s dance instead finds himself in charge of the biggest dance the school has ever seen.

Books for Adults


Bookshops & Bonedust (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to Legends & Lattes. After Viv is injured, she is sent to recuperate in a sleepy beach town where she spends too much time in a quiet bookshop. I’ve had Legends & Lattes on my TBR for ages – can’t wait to dig into it so I can pick this up.
Chaos Terminal (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to the quirky Station Eternity. Mallory may have caught the serial killer that tracked her to the space station before, but murder still seems to follow her, and she still seems to be the only person who can solve the case when a new arrival from Earth is killed.
The Christmas Jigsaw Murders (e-book, November 9) – A puzzler receives a package 6 days before Christmas containing puzzle pieces that together show a murder scene along with a note that says more people will die unless she can find the killer. This sounds AMAZING!
Enchanted Hill (Trade Paperback) – An aspiring PI posing as a maid searches a sprawling estate for evidence for a client. This sounds fascinating.
Fake Famous (Trade Paperback) – A farm girl agrees to step into a pop-star’s life for a week, but the “simple” swap starts to unravel.  I already pre-ordered this one.
The Good Part (Trade Paperback) – A young woman uses a wishing machine to skip ahead to “the good part” of her life.
Iron Flame (Hardcover) – The hotly awaited sequel to Fourth Wing, which is still sitting on my TBR. I have to get caught up – soon! If you have managed to miss the internet buzz about this dragon rider series, be sure to check out both books.
Never Wager with a Wallflower (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Merriwell Sisters series. Youngest sister, Venus, finds herself thawing toward her old nemesis, Galahad, until she discovers he’s been keeping secrets from her. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
A Power Unbound (Hardcover, LGBTQ+) – Book 3 in the Last Binding series about magical secrets and dangerous threats. I have the first two books on my TBR (Are you detecting a theme?), so I am not letting myself get this one until I catch up. So many books, so little time.
The Rom Con (Trade Paperback) – After a break up, a writer decides to use a 50’s article about tips to “hook a husband” as fodder for a satirical column AND a way to skewer a rival writer. Then those wacky tips actually start to work. This sounds fun!
Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank (e-book, short story) – A short story connected to the delightful Finlay Donovan series. See how Vero and Finlay first met. I am ecstatic about this!

BOOK NEWS: November 29, 2022

It’s the last release week of November. Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids


Knitting for Dogs – Izzy is a girl who can do anything, but when she takes up knitting, things don’t go like she expects. I can’t wait to read this one!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Tangled Up in Nonsense – Book 2 in the Tangled Mysteries. Sloane and Amelia discover they aren’t the only detectives looking for a two-million dollar prize when they visit Tangle Glen mansion. This series looks fun!
Belittled Women – Their mother’s obsession with Little Women leaves Jo and her sisters, Meg and Bethamy, performing moments from the books for summer tourists. But Jo is looking for a way out. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Never Ever Getting Back Together – Two girls are cast in a reality show starring “exes” of a young man who is now related to royalty by marriage.  One of the girls is looking for revenge against the cheater, but the other is just wondering why he ghosted her. Neither of them expect to find romance with one another.
We Deserve Monuments – Avery is forced to move away before her senior year into the hostile home of her grandmother. She finds new friends – and romance – but the girls also find trouble.

Books for Adults


On Spine of Death (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the By the Book Mystery series, a sequel to Buried in a Good Book. Tess and her daughter continue to work toward making Winthrop their new home. But their renovations to the old hardware store they are turning into a bookstore unearth a body. The first book was so outstanding, I cannot wait to dig into this one. Stay tuned for a review soon!

BOOK NEWS: November 22, 2022

Happy Thanksgiving Week! Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids


Yetis Are the Worst! – Gilbert the Goblin is back, and this time he’s sure that Yetis are the worst! This is one I will have to check out in person – the first two were so fun.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults


Finally Something Dangerous – Book 2 in the One and Onlys series after Finally Something Mysterious. Paul, Shank, and Peephole are back. Their town is going through something of a renaissance, but the three kids are convinced something isn’t quite right. I loved the first one, so I am looking forward to reading this one!

Books for Adults


Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Bright Falls series after Delilah Green Doesn’t Care. Astrid gets the chance to be the lead designer on a televised renovation – just the distraction and boost she needs – but she is at odds with the carpenter for the project at every turn. I have book one on my TBR shelves, and I’m eager to check both books out.
The Man I Never Met (Trade Paperback) – A wrong number leads to a young woman in London and a young man in America building a friendship over texts and phone calls and video chats. But when he gets a job in London and they believe they are about to take their relationship to a new, in-person level, they discover things aren’t quite what they expected.
Pride & Puppies (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Pine Hollow series. A woman who has sworn off men starts to catch feelings for her neighbor, but then he announces he’s considering moving away.
Sound of Light (Trade Paperback) – A Marvel: School of X novel. An ex-SHIELD agent stumbles into a mystery and teams up with some mutants to help her solve it.
Star Wars: Convergence (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the High Republic series. A Jedi teams up with the son of the Chancellor to investigate an assassination attempt on the royal offspring of two warring planets who are pledged to marry to unite their peoples.
Two Wrongs Make a Right (Trade Paperback) – A re-imagined Much Ado About Nothing. After a “meet-disaster,” Jamie and Bea are again thrown together by their meddling friends and family. So they plan their revenge – fake date in every over-the-top way they can think of and then break up once everyone else is convinced their meddling has worked. I pre-ordered this one months ago! I know what I am reading over the Thanksgiving weekend!
Self-Care Cross-Stitch: 40 Uplifting & Irreverent Patterns (Paperback) – I love sassy stitching!