Tag: August New releases

It’s the last release week of August – here are some of the new books releasing to wrap up August 2023.

Books for Kids

Squash, the Cat – Squash accidentally mistakes his best friend’s favorite toy as a threat, and now the two friends aren’t sure what to do next. Can their friendship survive? This sounds adorable!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Do More Club (Older Middle Grade) – In response to an anti-Semitic hate crime, Josh and his friends start the Do More Club at school to spread kindness.
The Lost Library – A mysterious Little Free Library pops up in town, guarded by an old cat. Two kids find books inside that expose one of the town’s long-kept secrets. I have this one on hold at the library.
Vivian Van Tassel and the Secret of Midnight Lake – First in a new series. Vivian is angry about all she has lost and being uprooted to this weird new town, but when she discovers the town’s connection to Beasts & Battlements, things start to get interesting.
Wings of Fire Guide to the Dragon World (September 1) – A new collection of stories and art.
The Brothers Hawthorne – Book 4 in the Inheritance Games series. Greyson and Jameson are pulled into new adventures – and new risks – by their extended families. I cannot wait for this!! I pre-ordered the special edition from Barnes and Noble last year.  Just a few days more to wait!
Elles Vol 2 (Graphic Novel) – Elle is lost in her own subconscious while one of her personalities takes over her life. I’m checking out book 1 because I am intrigued by this whole premise.
House of Marionne – A girl with magic is inducted into a secret debutante society that is supposed to help her manage her magic, but they may have secret plans of their own. This is absolutely on hold at the library!!
Neverwraith – Yesir can feel something inside him changing – but no one has prepared him for what is about to happen. Yes please!

Books for Adults

Assistant to the Villain (Trade Paperback) – Desperate for a job, Evie agrees to work for the Villain, and then discovers that someone is trying to take him and his whole empire down. I could not hit pre-order fast enough on this one. Can’t wait to read it!
Beast Mom (Trade Paperback, August 30) – A typical suburban mom turns monstrous when she gets fed up with the things going on around her – and she’s not the only one. I have to get my hands on this to find out more!
Big Little Spells (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to Small Town, Big Magic. A banished witch returns to St. Cyprian where the local witch council has determined her friends are a danger to witchkind and must be eliminated. I have got to start this series – sounds fantastic!
The Love Plot (Trade Paperback) – A veterinarian hires a gig worker to be his fake girlfriend for family events. I love a good fake dating story!
My Roommate Is a Vampire (Trade Paperback) – The apartment seems too good to be true, but Cassie is desperate. Besides, Frederick is rarely around during the day, works at night, and is gorgeous. Although, the bags of blood in the fridge are alarming…. I can’t wait to give this a try!
The Phoenix King (Trade Paperback) – First in a new series.  Elena is supposed to someday ascend to the throne, but she’s the one person in her family who can’t wield their magical fire. As she considers how to prove herself worthy, a suspicious assassin arrives saying he is there to serve the king – but Elena is certain he can’t be trusted.
The Referral Program (Trade Paperback) – Three single friends decide to use their not-quite-right exes as referrals to find a perfect relationship for their friends.
Three Card Murder (e-book, August 31) – A detective trying to solve a locked room mystery finds out her sister has ties to the deceased. But there’s no way her con-artist sister is a killer. I have already pre-ordered this one!

Here are some of the books out this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Truly, Madly, Sheeply (Older Middle Grade) – Book 4 in the Pumpkin Falls Mystery series for older elementary and middle school readers. Truly and her grandparents are farm-sitting for Truly’s aunt and uncle when they encounter some spooky goings on that seem designed to scare Truly’s family away from the new property. I adored the first book in this series. I’d love to find the time to catch up to this gorgeous-looking fall story.
Creeping Beauty – A plain-looking princes pricks her finger on a spindle and falls into a mysterious world of darkness and danger. I love a good fairy tale retelling!!
Unexpecting – A gay teen decides he wants to raise his unexpected baby as a single father, but he wasn’t ready for what that one decision would mean for all the other aspects of his life. This sounds amazing.

Books for Adults

A Beautiful Disguise (Trade Paperback) – Book one in the Imposters series. A pair of siblings have started an elite and  secret spy agency to save their family estate. This sounds clever – familiar in some ways to the Rosalind Thorne series. I’m always in the market for a new series.
Board to Death (Trade Paperback, LGBTQ+) – First in a new “quozy” (queer and cozy) mystery series. Even though the family game store is struggling, Cliff turns down an offer too good to be true and then ends up a murder suspect.  I’m looking forward to checking this series starter out.
Curves for Days (Trade Paperback) – A contractor resists falling for his newest client who has a secret that could destroy everything. Fairly standard grumpy-sunshine set up, and this is getting rave reviews. I’ll be checking this one out.
Mugshots of Manhattan (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Snapshot of NYC mystery series. Liv’s big break turns into a big nightmare when she’s suspected of murder. I’ll be picking this one up too!
A Secret Staircase (e-book, August 25) – Book 2 in the Murder at the Morrisey Mystery series. Meg discovers a secret staircase in the building that not only leads to the Seattle Underground, but also to two dead bodies.
The Great Dechurching: Who’s Leaving, Why Are They Going, and What Will It Take to Bring Them Back? (Hardcover Nonfiction) – The first large-scale study of the shift in America away from the Church. I’m really curious about this one.
Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From (Hardcover Nonfiction) – A faith-based parenting book where kids are encouraged to explore God and faith rather than handed a list of things to believe. I hope to review this one soon.

Here are some of the new releases this week!

Books for Kids

The Littlest Turtle – The littlest turtle tries to use her voice to help others in the community. I’ll be reviewing this soon.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Dust – A girl with severe asthma befriends a troubled boy who seems to be the cause of increased dust storms in their town.
No One Leaves the Castle – Something new from the author of the fantastic The Heroes Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (♥♥♥♥♥). A girl determined to become the best bounty hunter takes a case that leaves her locked in a castle with a murderer. This is at the top of my list for this week!!!
West of the Sea – Haven’s mom’s disappearance uncovers a long-hidden family secret – she, and Haven, can turn into a creature called a kitskara. Haven and her friends head out on a road trip to find Haven’s mom – and some answers.

Books for Adults

Codename Charming (Trade Paperback) – A gruff, business-first bodyguard and a perky, positive personal assistant stage a fake relationship to protect their boss from bad PR.
Rent to Be (Trade Paperback) – Isla agrees to a fake relationship with her brother’s best friend in exchange for him keeping a big secret for her.
The Witch Is Back (Trade Paperback) – An ex comes back to make things right, but the woman he finds isn’t the meek witch he left all those years ago.

Here are some of the new books out this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Raven Throne – Sequel to The Raven Heir. When the newly crowned queen falls into an enchanted sleep, her siblings go out to find a cure.
A Long Time Coming: A Lyrical Biography of Race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama (Nonfiction) – Six biographies in verse.

Books for Adults

Accidentally in Love (Trade Paperback) – A woman with a mobile photo studio for boudoir shoots gets matched up with a newcomer who is supposed to launch a food truck on the same festival circuit she knows so well.
Blonde Identity (Hardcover) – YA author, Ally Carter, releases her first adult romance about a woman who has lost her memory and the spy who thinks she is someone else. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Forged by Blood (Hardcover) – First in a new duology based on Nigerian mythology. In an effort to protect her people and get revenge for the death of her mother, a young woman plans to kidnap a prince.
Out of the Dawn (Hardcover) – Sequel to Into the Mist (♥♥♥♥½). Mercury and her friends who have survived the green mist that gave them their powers while killing the men who encountered it face new challenges as they try to protect the community they have established. I can not wait to read this!!!
Saints AND Sinners (Nonfiction) – New installments in the Storyline Bible Studies. I’ll be reviewing these soon.

Tomorrow is the first book release day for August 2023 – let’s look at some of the books releasing this week.

Books for Kids

Books Aren’t for Bears – When Bear finds a book in the woods and learns how to read, he heads to the city to find more books. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale – Kanzi loves the variety of diverse books in her school library, but when the books disappear because of a ban, she decides to take action. I’ll be reviewing this one, too.
Taco Falls Apart – When the pressure of holding too much and trying to be too strong pushes Taco too far, he falls apart. I’ll also be reviewing this one!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Great Texas Dragon Race – A girl who has grown up around dragons takes her best dragon and sneaks into the Great Texas Dragon Race against her father’s wishes.
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: One Girl Can Make a Difference – A novelization of the Marvel series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
Young Alfred Pain in the Butler – A story of Batman’s famous butler, Alfred, as a young man at Gotham’s Servant School. This is definitely on my wish list for this week!
Swimming in a Sea of Stars – A novel about interconnectedness with a teen who attempted suicide at the center.

Books for Adults

Birder She Wrote (Hardcover) – Book 33 in the Meg Langslow series. Meg is hunting for a murderer and a bee killer as well as dodging a troublesome reporter in her latest adventure. I’ll be reviewing this soon.
Change of Plans (Trade Paperback) – A chef suddenly responsible for the care of her three nieces encounters a former military man still reeling from the loss of his lower leg. Navigating love feels like one more thing neither has the bandwidth for. This sounds lovely.
Deja Glitch (Trade Paperback) – Jack is caught in a time loop, but he’s certain if he can just get Gemma to fall in love with him it will break the cycle – and they can both find their HEA.
Kiss the Girl (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Meant to Be line of stories by various authors (If the Shoe Fits, By the Book). Ariel and her sisters are the princesses of pop, but their farewell tour means Ariel might be able to have a different life. But her father’s determined to have her launch a solo career, Instead, Ariel takes off with another band for a chance to be “part of their world.” This Little Mermaid-esque story is a must buy for me!
Positively Penelope (Trade Paperback) – An optimistic dreamer tries to save a historic theater despite a string of obstacles.
With Love from Cold World (Trade Paperback) – A by-the-book bookkeeper and her all-fun-all-the-time coworker are tasked with coming up with something to save the amusement park where they work.

It’s the final release week of August. Here are some of the new books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Midnight Children – The latest from Dan Gemeinhart (The Honest Truth – ♥♥♥♥♥, Scar Island – ♥♥♥♥, Good Dog – ♥♥♥♥). When Ravani witnesses a group of kids arrive in town and move into an abandoned home across the street, he has tons of questions including “Where are their adults?” I’ll be reviewing this soon.
A Taste of Magic – Before Kyana can really enjoy the news that she is a witch who gets to learn to use magic, her magical school loses funding and is in danger of closing. Kyana is certain she can save it if she can win a big baking competition, but soon the pressure of regular school, magic school, the competition, and keeping her secrets becomes too much. This sounds awesome!
The Final Gambit – The third and final book in the Inheritance Games series by my all time favorite, Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Weeks before Avery is scheduled to inherit billions, an unexpected visitor arrives setting Avery and the Hawthorne brothers on a dangerous path. I have had this pre-ordered for most of this year – my wait is almost over!
The Liar’s Crown – A secret, hidden twin gets kidnapped when she steps in – as she is supposed to – for her sister, the queen. EEK! This sounds so amazing! I’ve already pre-ordered this one.
Nothing More to Tell – The latest from the author of One of Us Is Lying (♥♥♥♥), Karen McManus. Brynn left St Ambrose four years ago after the death of her favorite teacher, but now that she has an internship with a true crime show, she’s going back to find out the truth of what happened. I have this one on hold at the library!

Books for Adults

Holiday Heroine (Trade Paperback) – Book 6 in the Heroine Complex series (Heroine Complex – ♥♥♥♥). During a fight with other-worldly forces, Bea is transported to a romcom-version of her holiday and she’ll have to figure out what happened – and fight the temptation to go to the dark side – so she can get back to her real life. I’d love to get caught up on this series – it’s quirky and sassy and fun!
Two Parks Sugar, One Part Murder (Trade Paperback) – When Maddy’s fiancé leaves her at the altar, an inheritance and the chance to start over is too tempting to refuse. But when Maddy is accused of murder in her new town, she’s going to have to figure out who really did it to save her future. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!
The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library (September 1) – Colby Sharp and Donalyn Miller team up to help teachers build a classroom library. I can’t wait to read this one!

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

My Pet Feet – When the letter R goes missing, a town gets turned upside down. This looks hilarious! I can’t wait to read it.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Enola Holmes: Mycroft’s Dangerous Game (Graphic Novel) – First in a new graphic novel series based on the Netflix series (which is based on a book series) starring Enola Holmes. This is an original story which is said to “bridge” the gap from the first movie to the next. When Mycroft goes missing, Enola teams up with Lord Tewkesbury to find him.
Homebound – A sequel to Stowaway by John David Anderson. Separated from his brother, Leo considers how he can fulfill his father’s mission as he travels with space pirates.
Four for the Road – A teen in a grief group invites some of the other group members to join him on a road trip where he’s secretly hoping to get revenge on the drunk driver who killed his mother and got off on a technicality. I’ve asked my local library to pick this one up.

Books for Adults

Heartbreaker (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 2 in the Hell’s Belles series. A wallflower who is secretly a Matchbreaker and a Duke with secrets to hide team up to break up a wedding. I’ve already got this one on hold at the library.
Kit McBride Gets a Wife (Trade Paperback) – A young woman puts out an ad for mail-order brides for her older brothers. As an employee for an eccentric widow, Maddy is along for the ride when her employer decides to answer the ad, but when her employer disappears, Maddy is left to assume the woman’s name and circumstances. This could be fun!
Love on the Brain (Trade Paperback) – A scientist is forced to work with her nemesis which is only the first problem to befall her in the lab. This looks cute!
Not Your Basic Love Story (e-book) – Opposites attract when a couple hit it off on vacation, but when they return to their real lives, they aren’t sure how to make the differences work.
Six Feet Deep Dish (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new Deep Dish mystery series. On the verge of the life she dreamed of, Delilah loses her fiancé (and his trust fund) and then her grandmother is accused of murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.

Here are some of the new books releasing this week.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

What Do We Know About Bigfoot? – The folks who launched the Who Was series kick off a new branch of their hugely popular nonfiction line – the What Do We Know About line. Early titles include this one about Bigfoot as well as crop circles (also releasing this week), Atlantis and the Loch Ness Monster (November 2022), and Roswell (March 2023).
Ashfall Prophecy – From the author of I Am Number Four. Syd barely remembers his alien father, but as a child of both a human and a Denzan, he has been prophesied to be a “world killer.” But when Syd discovers the secrets his father died to protect, he is determined to create his own destiny in the universe-impacting events to come. This sounds fantastic. I already have this one on hold at the library.
The Year Without a Summer – When a volcanic eruption leads to snow in June, one teen thinks it’s amazing and wonders what it would have been like to live through the “year without a summer” in 1815 when something similar occurred. Another teen sees it, and other evidence of climate change, as a crisis for the planet leading to frequent clashes between the two.

Books for Adults

Love in the Time of Serial Killers (Trade Paperback) – A PhD candidate obsessed with serial killers is trying to finish her dissertation while dealing with the fallout of the death of her father. But she starts to wonder what her new neighbor his up to. Is he a serial killer like the others she’s read about, or is he just a genuinely nice guy – and which of those options scares her more? This one is on my library wish list.

It’s a small release week for me, but both books could be a lot of fun!

Books for Older Kids/Teens

The Daredevils – A stand-alone book from the author of the Mr. Terupt series and the Perfect Score series. During the last summer before middle school, twins Loretta and Waylon and a new friend make a discovery in the woods near their houses.

Books for Adults

A Killing in Costumes (Hardcover) – First in a new Hollywood Treasures Mystery series. Former soap opera stars who once were married to keep their sexual orientations a secret are now friends and business partners when they open a movie memorabilia shop. In an effort to keep their shop afloat, they go head to head with the owner of an auction house over an immense collection. But when he’s later murdered, Jay and Cindy are the prime suspects.

Happy August! Here’s to another month of new books – here are some of the things releasing this week.

Books for Kids

The Baby-Changing Station – A magical changing station gives an older brother the chance to trade in the new baby for something cool.
Star Trek: The Girl Who Made The Stars – A pictures book licensed by Star Trek Discovery starring a girl based on the character of Michael Burnham.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Invisible (Graphic Novel) – Five Spanish-speaking kids, lumped together to complete their school’s community service, have to decide if it’s more important to help someone in need or to stay invisible. I’ve heard rave reviews of this one!
Hello, Goodbye – It feels like Hailey’s summer is ruined when her parents tell her she has to spend it helping the grandmother she hardly knows. But when tragedy strikes, Hailey  will take what she learned from Gigi and head out on a road trip to solve a family mystery. I’ve requested this one from the library!
How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) – When Astrid discovers her boyfriend is a superhero, it upends her life in ways she couldn’t have imagined. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The King Will Kill You – Book 3 in the Kingdom of Sand and Sky series about a princess in love with a stable boy. I have this series on my wish list!

Books for Adults

Bookish People (Trade Paperback) – A scandal-ridden poet is counting on the one bookstore still willing to host his signing as a way to salvage his career. The shop owner had asked her events coordinator to cancel the signing too, but the coordinator believes the poet could be her biological father, and she’d like to see how things play out when he comes to town. This sounds fantastic!
The Hookup Plan  (Trade Paperback) – Book 3 in the Boyfriend Project series. Dr. London Kelly hooks up with her high school nemesis – just a one time thing – after their reunion with no idea he will be working with her hospital over the next several weeks. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie (Trade Paperback) – A young woman who gave up her dreams to care for her family has the chance to re-live three moments from the road not taken. This is on my library wishlist.
Round Up the Usual Peacocks (Hardcover) – Book 31 in the delightful Meg Langslow series. Kevin, Meg’s nephew, asks her to look into some cold cases when some friends who have a podcast seem to be the target for a murderer connected to one of the cases they have been discussing. I never miss a new Meg Langslow book – I am number 35 on the hold list at the library!
Star Trek: The Genesis Trilogy (Hardcover) – An in-depth look at these well-loved Star Trek movies.