Happy August! There are so many books releasing this month to get excited about. Let’s take a look at some of this week’s new releases!
Books for Kids
Squasherella – A fall twist on Cinderella.
The Secret Life of Viruses – A picture book about the science of viruses.
Agent Moose: Moose on a Mission – Book 2 in the Agent Moose graphic novel chapter book series. Agent Moose, Granny Moose, and Owlfred are working a new case when the circus comes to the forest.
J.D. and the Family Business – A brother and sister with a flair for working with hair team up to grow their businesses. This looks awesome!
Super Turbo Protects the World (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel version of book 4 in the Super Turbo series.
Total Mayhem: Monday Into the Cave of Thieves AND Tuesday The Curse of the Blue Spots – The first two books in the Total Mayhem chapter book series starring a kid named Dash Candoo.
Unicorn Diaries: Bo and the Merbaby – Book 5 in the delightful Unicorn Diaries series. Bo wants to help a merbaby who can’t swim on her own yet.
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Black Boy Joy – A collection of 17 stories celebrating Black boys.
Boots – Book 3 in the League of Secret Heroes series. This is a fun historical fantasy mashup with a trio of teen superheroes helping fight World War II. The Infinity Trinity take on the Metallic Falcon when he captures Mae’s aunts.
I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2021 (Graphic Novel) – A graphic novel adaptation of the I Survived novel about 9/11. This is a perfect release for the 20th anniversary of an event that impacted the world today’s kids live in, but happened long before they were born. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Julie and the Phantoms: Whatever Happens – A book that takes place immediately after the end of season one of Julie and the Phantoms, but which reveals stories from before the boys became ghosts and before Julie’s mom died. I’ll be reviewing this one soon.
Just Be Cool, Jenna Sakai – After a break-up, Jenna swears off boys. But her ex is competing with her for a major scholarship and another boy keeps stealing her favorite diner booth where she goes to hide every day.
Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares – Book 2 in this series from Rick Riordan’s imprint. Paola is having nightmares again, but with her relationships in flux, there’s really no one she can tell. But her mysterious and absent father is at the center of the nightmares – and he just might be the solution she needs to help her ailing grandmother.
Stowaway – The latest middle grade story from the fabulous John David Anderson. This is the first book in a planned sci-fi duology. Leo and his brother have been stranded in space when the galactic battle over a rare but important resource discovered on Earth heats up and their scientist father is kidnapped. This one is on my review list.
Wish Upon a Stray – Looking for friends in her new American home, Maria gets attached to a stray who turns out to belong to her neighbor. In exchange for more time with the dog, she agrees to sing in her neighbor’s band.
Dangerous Play – When Zoe is assaulted at a party, she and her field hockey teammates decide to do whatever they have to in order to ensure no girl ever feels unsafe again.
The Dead and the Dark (LGBTQ+) – Two girls team up to find out what has been happening to the teens in the town of Snakebite, but neither are ready for what they discover.
The Fatal Error – First book in the Holding the Fort series. A secret military project decides it doesn’t want to be kept a secret any more. And a group of teens wakes up to find everyone else in their town has gone missing. I have this one on my wish list.
Suns Will Rise – Book 3 in the System Divine series described as “Les Misérables meets The Lunar Chronicles.” I’m not sure I can do the description to this justice since I haven’t read the first two books. But book one, Sky Without Stars, is on my list.
Books for Adults
An Amish Schoolroom (Trade Paperback) – A collection of three stories about Amish school teachers.
The Chocolate Raccoon Rigmarole (Hardcover) – Book 18 in the Chocoholic Mystery series. Lee starts looking into a series of robberies where only sweets are taken when her friend’s boyfriend becomes a suspect.
The Dating Dare (Trade Paperback) – Sequel to the fun novel, A Sweet Mess. While their secret dates always end in some romcom-level disaster, their chance meetings are always something special. And that’s a problem because Tara doesn’t want anything serious, and Seth is going to be leaving the country soon for a job. This one is on my review list.
Death in Castle Dark (Mass Market Paperback) – First in a new A Dinner and a Murder Mystery series which I have heard is written by Julia Buckley. An actress cast in a murder mystery troupe finds a real mystery when one of the other actors is killed during a performance. This is also on my review list.
Delia Suits Up (Trade Paperback) – A woman convinced her job woes would be gone if only she was a man finds herself magically transformed.
Hostile Intent (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Danger Never Sleeps series. A military officer requests an early discharge to spend time with her dying mother, but she’s attacked. Now the special agent of the FBI who saved her says she may have the answers to a series of unsolved murders. And they need to work together to find the killer before the killer strikes again.
If the Shoe Fits (Hardcover) – From the author of Dumplin’. Cindy, a shoe-loving fashion designer who can’t find work in her field, finds herself thrown into a reality tv show when a guest cancels and the show-runner (Cindy’s step-mother) needs a fill-in. As the first plus-sized woman to appear on the show, Cindy finds herself getting a lot of attention, but she’s not sure she can trust any of it – the fans, her fellow contestants, or the things she is feeling for the star of the show. This is also on my review list.
Murder Most Fowl (Hardcover) – Book 29 in the always delightful Meg Langslow Mystery series. While Meg’s husband is directing a production of Macbeth, and a group of reenactors are exploring the life of the real Macbeth, a murderer strikes. (Book 30, The Twelve Jays of Christmas, will release in October.) This one is on my review list.
So We Meet Again (Trade Paperback) – When Jessie heads home to lick her wounds after being laid off, she runs into her childhood nemesis who, surprisingly, offers to help her relaunch her YouTube cooking channel. I have adored the last couple books I have ready by Suzanne Park, so I am eager to dig into this one, which is on my review list.
To Write a Wrong (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency series after the wonderful To Steal a Heart. When a mystery writer finds himself the target of murder attempts, he enlists the help of the Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency. And Daphne, a mystery writer herself, is assigned to help. I am so excited about this one!
The Walnut Creek Wish (Trade Paperback) – First in the Creektown Discoveries series. A couple in a strained marriage move to Walnut Creek and find unexpected help at an antique store.
3 Big Questions that Change Every Teenager (Hardcover) – Based on research from the Fuller Youth Institute. Contains information to help pastors, parents, youth leaders, and mentors shepherd teens through their three big questions: Who am I? Where do I fit? and What difference can I make? This sounds amazing!
The Daily Bible Project (Three-Year Journal) – A multi-year journal with a Bible reading prompt (roughly three chapters a day) with room for notes. Will take the reader through the Bible in a year, three times. No text, just the reference so any translation can be used. I am eager to see this one in person.
Holy Hot Mess: Finding God in the Details of This Weird and Wonderful Life (Hardcover) – No matter how “messy” life feels, you can trust you are being transformed into Christ’s likeness.
A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year A AND Year W (Trade Paperback) – A lectionary focused on the stories of women in the Bible.