Tag: May New releases

Happy Memorial Day – Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Falling Out of Time – Sequel to 1997’s Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix. A girl in 2193 finds clues that her utopian world may not be all she thinks it is and that she might have a connection to Jessie Keyser (Main character in Running Out of Time).
The First Magnificent Summer (Older Middle Grade) – After a two year absence, Victoria is looking forward to some time with her father, hoping to impress him with her wit and maturity. But he shows up with his new family, the Replacements, and he treats Victoria in a way that makes her think he doesn’t like her because she’s a girl. This is on my list for this week!
The Night in Question – Sequel to one of my favorite books of 2022. You can read my full review here.
Time Out – When the local basketball star comes out to his community, he faces backlash he wasn’t expecting

Books for Adults

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (Trade Paperback) – Twins of a certain age look for excitement and distraction by helping a friend out of a bad relationship. But they encounter unexpected trials – and one has a chance at love. This sounds so fun. I have a review copy of this waiting for me.
Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly (Trade Paperback) – In this new novel by Marie Bostwick, a newly unemployed and single woman returns to her childhood home and helps her estranged family try to save their lakeside retreat. While there, she discovers a chapter of her late-grandmother’s life she never knew before. This sounds lovely – and I thoroughly enjoyed The Restoration of Celia Fairchild. I’ll be checking this one out.
Even If the Sky Is Falling (Trade Paperback, collection) – When the world thinks an incoming meteor shower could mean the end of life as we know it, 6 couples decide to make the most of their “last” hours – except the world doesn’t actually end. This looks like it will be 6 interconnected short stories. What a clever set up! This is on my list.
The Gay Best Friend (Trade Paperback) – Dom feels torn trying to be the best friend to both the bride and the groom as they approach their big day – and he starts to realize how little attention he has paid to his own heart and what he wants for his own life. Yes, please!
Ink Blood Sister Scribe (Hardcover) – Half sisters charged with supervising and protecting a library of magical books discover centuries worth of secrets kept by their parents. Yep, sounds right up my alley!
Marrying Off Morgan McBride (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the McBrides of Montana series. A woman who always seems to be “too much” answers an ad for a mail order bride, but the husband-to-be isn’t the one who placed the ad – his younger sister placed it for him! I’m not much for westerns in general, but these two books sound fun!
Murder Off the Books (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the By the Book Mystery series. Right when Tess is trying to get back in the town’s good graces by having an extravagant book release/store opening event, her mother arrives in town with a notorious conman connected to the deaths of three elderly women. When the conman is found dead, and Tess’s mother becomes the prime murder suspect, Tess has to start sleuthing again. I adored book 1 in this series and cannot wait to dig into books 2 and now 3, hopefully this summer!
Once More with Feeling (Trade Paperback) – Once upon a time, she was a pop star with everything. Then a hook up with a member of a popular boyfriend – and not the one she was dating – destroyed everything. Now she’s content in a more quiet life – until the hook up shows up with a Broadway offer she can’t refuse. Yep, this one too! I told you there were a LOT of great books releasing this month!
Puzzled Pieces (ebook) – Book 5 in the PTO Murder Club Mystery series. Mustang and her friends investigate a string of murders of school bus drivers. This is the first I had heard of this series, but it sounds great! I’ve picked up the first book in the series to check it out.
Star Trek: Discovery: Somewhere to Belong (Trade Paperback) – The Discovery crew has gone 900 years into the future. After helping a world cut off from the Federation because of the Burn, the Discovery answers a distress call that seems to have connections to their old 23rd century lives.
The Wishing Game (Hardcover) – After a difficult childhood, Lucy is sensitive to the needs of one of her students who was recently orphaned. If only she had the resources to adopt Christopher and give him the love and home he deserves after such loss. Lucy gets her chance when she is chosen to participate in a contest where she can win the only copy of a new book written by her favorite author from her own childhood. This sounds like a not-to-be-missed story!

Here are some of the books releasing this week:

Books for Kids

Cranky Chicken: Crankosaurus – I fell in love with the Cranky Chicken books when I discovered them last year. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Labors of Hercules Beal – A boy named for a mythical hero thinks he is nothing like his namesake, but a teacher challenges him to duplicate Hercules’ feats and see what he discovers. I can’t wait to read this one!
Picture-Perfect Boyfriend – When a girl’s made-up boyfriend shows up at the airport for her family’s vacation, she can’t very well call him out as a fraud without exposing her own lies. Yes, please!

Books for Adults

The Blighted Stars (Trade Paperback) – First in a new series. A woman hiding in plain sight as a bodyguard for the Mercator heir finds herself trapped with him on a dead planet. The two band together to survive and along the way uncover a plot neither of them bargained for. Sounds awesome!
The Front Porch Club (Mass Market Paperback) – Three women whose lives have turned upside down find friendship and community together.
Gone Rogue (e-book) – Book 3 in the Mia Murphy Mystery series. When a local bad girl turns back up and is later murdered, Mia starts investigating to keep a friend from being wrongly accused of the crime.
Mrs. Nash’s Ashes (Trade Paperback) – Millie agreed to transport her elderly neighbor’s ashes to symbolically reunite her with her lost love. But when she said yes, she didn’t count on having to make her delivery via road trip with an obnoxious acquaintance. This looks fun!
Rogue Justice (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Avery Keene series by Stacey Abrams. Law clerk Avery Keene stumbles onto another conspiracy. This series sounds amazing. I have book 1 on my TBR.

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

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Julieta and the Romeos – A young writer posts her work online and finds herself with an intriguing collaborator. Yes, please!
The DC Book of Pride (Nonfiction) – Highlights DC Comics’ characters in the LGBTQ+ community. The artwork on the sample pages I have seen is gorgeous. Will definitely be picking this one up!
You: The Story: A Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory (Nonfiction) – A writer’s guide that encourages young writers to use their own lives and experiences to help them grow as writers. This sounds amazing!

Books for Adults

The Late Mrs. Willoughby (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery series after The Murder of Mr. Wickham (which is on my TBR). When Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney are once again together at the site of a murder, they team up to solve the crime. This series sounds so fantastic. I can’t wait to get some time to dig into the first book!
The Malevolent Seven (Hardcover) – I can’t do the summary of this justice – you’ll just have to read up on this one for yourself. I am fascinated to see what this one is like!
A Novel Disguise (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Lady Librarian Mystery series. A young woman takes her half-brother’s identity after his death so she can keep her home. But that seems to be only one of a dozen mysteries and secrets swirling around her. Sounds fun!
Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts (Trade Paperback) – When a podcaster breaks her own rules for hooking up without “catching feelings” by falling in love and getting married, her podcasting partner tries to save their reputations and their following by breaking all the rules herself to show what a terrible idea that is.  She is certain the best man is the perfect person to help her prove her point – until she actually starts to fall for him.
Summer Reading (Trade Paperback) – A incident on a ferry when a determined non-reader knocks a bookworm’s latest read into the ocean could lead to love. Yes, please! Can’t go wrong with Jenn McKinlay.

Here are some of the new books out this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/ Young Adults

The Greatest Kid in the World – When Zeke is chosen to compete in a competition to be named Greatest Kid in the World, he’s not sure how he even got into the contest. But his family needs the prize money so he will do what he can to win. I don’t think you can go wrong with a book by John David Anderson!
Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Taking the Blame – Book 2 in the series. Loki is trying to prove to Odin that he can be good enough for Asgard, but it’s tough to be good when his only friend now has a new friend and when he’s accused of stealing Mjolnir.
Breaking In – A film student wants to make a tribute movie about her dad, but her school gets shut down and the big-time director who ran it steals her idea and makes his own movie. *adds to cart* Need it!
Cursed Crowns – Sequel to Twin Crowns (which I have on my TBR shelves – I hate when I get “lapped” and a sequel is released before I get to read the first book.) The twin queens are pulled in different directions by their rival goals and ideas of what they should do next for their kingdom.
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Graphic Novel) – A young woman disguises herself as a Count in order to keep her inheritance, but when she starts to fall for Princess Brie, her secret is in danger.
The Truth About the Spy (ebook) – A teen spy’s secret life – and her best friend – are in danger when one of her missions goes awry.

Books for Adults

The Boyfriend Candidate (Trade Paperback) – A shy school librarian trying to become more bold ends up in the middle of a political scandal when  her one night stand turns out to be running for governor and pictures of the two of them go viral. He proposes they fake date until after the election. You all know how I feel about fake dating stories!! This is on my list.
The Comeback Summer (Trade Paperback) – In order to hook a new client for their struggling business, two sisters agree to complete individual challenges for the client. This is one I couldn’t buy fast enough. Sounds perfect!

It’s the first week of May – and readers are in for a month FULL of great books. Let’s see some of the new releases for this week:

Books for Kids

Pluto!: Not a Planet? Not a Problem! – Book 7 in Stacy McAnulty’s Our Universe series focuses on Pluto.
Real to Me – What do you do when your imaginary friend disappears?
Weather Together – Part of the Not Quite Narwhal and Friends series. Nimbus and Kelp are best friends, but what happens when Nimbus’ cloudy moods turn into a storm because she tries to hide them from her friend?
The Adventures of Sophie Mouse: Under the Weather – Book 20 in the Sophie Mouse series. Sophie feels jealous when she sees the attention her brother gets because he is sick.
Owl Diaries: The Nature Club  – When Eva’s class starts working on a Nature Day party, she’s put in a different planning group from her friends.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Firefly Summer – Ryanna spends the summer with her late-mother’s extended family, people she’s never met before who can help her learn about her mother. This sounds like my kind of middle grade story!
The Lion of Lark-Hayes Manor – Will a young girl feeling out of place end up trading her beloved books and stories for a chance to experience real magic?
The Sun and the Star (Older Middle Grade) – Nico and Will (from the Percy Jackson novels) travel to Tartarus to try to save an old friend. I have had this pre-ordered since last October. It’s finally time!!!
A Work in Progress (Older Middle Grade, Graphic Novel) – A “round” boy at a school full of “string beans” tries to change his appearance to fit in. I have been waiting for this one for months, too. I hope to review this one soon. There is a trigger warning with this one, so be sure to check that out before reading.
Imogen Obviously – A fervent ally to her queer friends, Imogen starts to wonder if maybe she’s more part of the LGBTQ+ community than she realized. I hope to review this one soon as well!
Liar’s Beach – A prep school outsider and his childhood best friend try to solve the mystery of an “accident” at a Martha’s Vineyard house party.  Sounds fantastic!
Lying in the Deep – A girl looking to escape her ex and his new girlfriend – her ex-best friend – signs on for a semester on a cruise ship traveling the world. As if it wasn’t surprising enough to find her ex on board, there’s also a murderer.
Might as Well Be Dead (May 5) – A teen still reeling from his mother’s abrupt departure and trying to help his dad through at the same time, starts to see a ghost who wants to help him – but who also has a favor to ask.
The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom – A standout performer is challenged to develop some humility by not singing at her new boarding school. I’m intrigued by this one!
Your Plantation Prom Is Not Okay – Harriet and her father run an enslaved persons museum on the site of an old plantation. When an influencer and her mother move in next door with plans to turn that plantation into an antebellum showplace for a prestigious Hollywood couple’s wedding – and the site is also chosen for their high school’s prom – Harriet is fed up with the whole racist mess. I have this one on my list for May!

Books for Adults

Best Men (Trade Paperback) – Two best men in a wedding party start to fall for each other. Yes, please!
Fourth Wing (Hardcover) – Book one of The Empyrean series. Instead of following her plans to become a scribe and enjoy a quiet, bookish life, Violet is forced to compete with those who want to be DRAGON riders in the war! The dragons have become choosy about who they will bond with, so Violet becomes a target for those who want to thin the ranks, doing whatever it takes in order to have their chance. Dragons! And this book has decorative page edges – I couldn’t hit the buy button fast enough! I hope the story lives up to the gorgeous packaging.
Jana Goes Wild (Trade Paperback) – Jana wants nothing to do with her ex, but he’s hard to avoid when they are both attending the same destination wedding. But her friends come to the rescue with a “Go Wild” list of things for Jana to do to keep her busy and way from Anil.
Love Buzz (Trade Paperback) – A chance-meeting at a destination bachelorette party leaves Serena tossing away the facets of her carefully crafted life as she searches for a man she knows only by his first name in one of the largest cities in America.
Practice Makes Perfect (Trade Paperback) – When Annie starts to think she might be too boring to find love, she convinces her brother’s fiancée’s bodyguard to help her learn to be more flirty and fun.
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Graphic Novel) – A new mission for the crew of the Ceritos
Sugar Spice and Can’t Play Nice (Trade Paperback) – Two young people agree to an arranged marriage to avoid family drama and to achieve their personal agendas, but along they way they start to wonder if there’s more to this engagement than just a means to an end.
Super Bloom (Trade Paperback) – Joan agrees to funnel gossip to a romance author at the spa where she works so the author can use the tidbits in her next book. But then Joan takes up writing as well, crafting an imagined future she would never get with her late boyfriend. When the author tries to steal Joan’s novel and pass it off as her own, Joan’s quirky group of friends pitch in to help her get it back. Yes, please!

Happy Memorial Day to those of you in the US. Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Small Town Pride – Jake has found his family and friends to be supportive since he came out as gay, but his community isn’t there yet. So when Jake and his friends want to have a Pride festival in town, they have to convince the town council, and the mayor, to get on board.

Books for Adults

The Messy Lives of Book People (Trade Paperback) – A house cleaner is surprised to discover her deceased client wanted her to finish the recluse’s final novel.
Renovated to Death (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Domestic Partners in Crime Mystery series. Peter and JP, domestic partners with a renovation show, take on new clients – and a murder mystery. I pre-ordered this weeks ago – I can’t wait to dig in!
You’re My I.T. (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the Nerds of Happy Valley series. After a two-year crush on the hilarious IT guy at work, Blaine decides she is going to tell him how she feels, first chance she gets. But when Lysander returns after a family health scare, he’s gone through some personal changes and returns with a girl on his arm, leaving Blaine to wonder if she missed her chance.
Wild Life (Hardcover, gift book) – I adore Charley Harper’s work, so this is at the top of my May wish list! 336 pages.

I’ve got my eyes on the long weekend ahead, and I’m hoping to get a lot of reading in. Here are some of the new books out this week that you might check out for a long weekend of reading, too!

Books for Kids

Wednesday and Woof: Catastrophe – A girl and her service dog solve mysteries together. You can read my review of this one here.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

The Civil War of Amos Abernathy – A history loving boy goes looking through records to find people like him represented in history. When he discovers a Civil War solider who today might have identified as a trans man, Amos looks for a way to share the soldier’s story. I have requested this one from the library.
Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels, Vol 1 – The first three Enola Holmes middle grade novels get the graphic novel treatment. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
The Problem with Prophecies – First in a new Celia Cleary series. When a girl who inherited a gift of prophecy sees the death of a neighbor boy, she does everything she can to keep that vision from coming true.

Books for Adults

Buried in a Good Book (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new By the Book mystery series. A thriller writer and her daughter arrive at the family cabin looking for some healing – and writing time – when their retreat is spoiled by an explosion – and a murder. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.

Here are some of the new books out this week that I have on my watch list!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

This Is Not a Drill – After a disastrous day, Ava is taking a moment in the bathroom when her school goes on lockdown – and she discovers it is not a drill. I have requested this one from our library.
See You Yesterday – After a horrendous first day of college, Barrett finds herself reliving the same day over. To make things worse, her nemesis is reliving the day, too. And he has been for months. This is already on my library list!
Twin Crowns – Twin princesses, raised apart – one raised to rule and the other raised to usurp the throne. This is exactly my kind of story!

Books for Adults

Adult Assembly Required (Trade Paperback) – The latest from Abbi Waxman. A young woman trying to start over in LA finds herself homeless after just a week and her life takes some wild turns. This is on my review list, so stay tuned!
From Bad to Cursed (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Witches of Thistle Grove series, after Payback’s a Witch. Issa teams up with a member of a rival family to investigate sabotage caused by mysterious dark magic. I have book one on my TBR – I need to get to that one soon!
Hotel California (Hardcover) – A Music and Murder Mystery collection. Includes a new Jack Reacher story!
We Were Dreamers (Hardcover Nonfiction) – We have adored Simu Liu since we first watched Shang Chi (a Marvel movie I wasn’t sure I wanted to watch which has now become a favorite). I am so looking forward to reading this memoir.

Here are some of the new books releasing this week!

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

Answers in the Pages – A boy struggles to understand why his whole town is freaking out over the adventure book he was reading. But the book’s gay main characters are the reason his mom is trying to get the book banned from his school. This is a timely story, so I already have this one in my shopping cart.
A Show for Two – The latest from the author of Counting Down with You. Mina agrees to help a TV star undercover at her school to do research for a role in exchange for him helping her by starring in her short film for a contest. This is on my list because I loved Counting Down SO much!

Books for Adults

Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies (Hardcover) – First in a new Pies Before Guys Mystery series about a woman who “bakes vengeance into her pastries.” I am LOVING the recent release of these mysteries that don’t follow the usual pattern. I can’t wait to read this one – I already have it on hold at the library!
Speaking By the Numbers (Hardcover Nonfiction) – The Enneagram for teachers, pastors and communicators. I’ll be reviewing this one soon!

Happy May! I don’t know about you, but April was jam packed for me, so I have high hopes for a more relaxing May. Here are some of the new books releasing this week that I am excited about.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Marvellers – A middle grade debut by the author of The Belles. The first magic user of her kind at the Arcanum Training Institute, Ella initially encounters mistrust before finding her people. But when a dangerous criminal escapes prison with help from someone like Ella, and then her favorite teacher disappears, Ella starts investigating things for herself. I have this on my library wishlist.
Mr. Lemoncello’s Very First Game – Fans of the fantastic Mr. Lemoncello series can now go back and read about a teen Luigi Lemoncello. This is on my library list as well.
The Agathas – Two young women use the collected works of Agatha Christie to help them solve the mystery of a missing girl in their own town. This is on my review list for later this month.

Books for Adults

Blame It on the Brontës (Trade Paperback) – Athena returns to her home town – and daily run-ins with her ex – in her quest to find a reclusive author (who is writing spicy retellings of classics) she is writing about in order to keep her job as an English Professor. This is waiting in my shopping cart right now.
Book Lovers (Trade Paperback) – This new novel by Emily Henry focuses on a cut-throat literary agent who goes on vacation determined to reinvent herself as the heroine of her own story. Instead she keeps running into an editor she knows – and loathes – from the city. Another for the library list!
By the Book (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Meant to Be series after If the Shoe Fits (which is still on my review list from last year). This series of fairy tale re-imaginings is right up my alley! A young woman feelings stuck in her publishing job decides to take charge of her own destiny by wrangling a delinquent author into completing his manuscript. But his beastly behavior is more of a challenge than she expected. *add to cart*
Claws for Suspicion (Mass Market Paperback) – Book 3 in the delightful Catskills Pet Rescue Mystery series. When Kari’s ex comes to town with the news that their divorce was never finalized he tells her this means he is entitled to half of her lottery winnings – but he’d settle for the land where her beloved rescue sits. Sure she’s upset, but she would never resort to murder! But that’s not what the police think. You can read my review of this one here.
The Dachshund Wears Prada (Trade Paperback) – First in a new Dogs in the City romcom series. After a social media disaster, an influencer settles for a job as a dogsitter for a foul-tempered dachshund with an owner who is just as prickly. Yes, please!
Double Twist (Trade Paperback) – After accidentally marrying a drug kingpin, Mia is eager to get her life back on the straight and narrow. But then she and some new friends stumble across a body. Then, when a friend is suspected of murder, Mia decides to dust off the skills of her old life to clear their name. I have already pre-ordered this one.
The Homewreckers (Hardcover) – A young widow falls in love with a money pit of a house. To help her stay afloat after a series of disasters she agrees to star in a reality show where she ends up embroiled in a mystery. I am thrilled so many of the books on my list this week are already on order with my library. This is on my wishlist there, too.
The Murder of Mr. Wickham (Trade Paperback) – Jane Austen’s Mr. Wickham is murdered at a house party, and Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy team up to solve the mystery.  Another for the library list!
Tear Down the Throne (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the fabulous Gargoyle Queen series, a spin off from the Crown of Shards series. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week, so all I will say now is that the new book is just as fantastic as its predecessors.
The Wedding Season (Trade Paperback) – When Freya’s wedding – the first of 8 on her calendar for the year – is called off, she can’t imagine how she will survive watching happy couples all year while she feels devastated. So her friends devise a series of challenges for her to complete at the various weddings. Yet one more for the library list!
The Joy of Reading (Paperback – Professional Development) – When I was teaching, my go to resource for all things reading was Donalyn Miller. This is her latest book and I will be reviewing it soon. For now I’ll just say she never disappoints!