Happy Monday! Here are some of the books releasing this week.
Books for Kids
Codzilla – When a big codfish is teased for his size, he thinks maybe he should just live up to the taunts from the littler fish who call him Codzilla.
Sumo Joe – A boy playing Sumo with his buddies is torn between his favorite sport and his beloved little sister when she asks to join their fun.
Go For the Moon: A Rocket, a Boy, and the First Moon Landing – An exploration of Apollo 11.
Horse & Buggy Paint It Out – Horse is so eager to get started on his mural, he ignores the advice of his friend Buggy and makes a big mess.
Imagine You Were There…. Winning the Vote for Women (June 13) – Celebrates the 100th anniversary of women getting the right to vote.
Goldilocks, Go Home – This illustrated early chapter book is a mash up of classic fairy tales starring Goldilocks and Bobby (Baby) Bear.
Nixie Ness Cooking Star – Book 1 in the Afterschool Superstars series. When her mom gets a job, Nixie has to go to aftercare at school instead of hanging out at home with her best friend. But the afterschool program gives her a chance to attend a cooking camp.
Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults
Briar and Rose and Jack – Sleeping Beauty meets Jack and the Beanstalk in this fairy tale mash up starring two girls who may be cursed and their friend Jack, who are all willing to do what no adult has been – fight the giant terrorizing their kingdom.
The Prisoner of Azkaban Ravenclaw Edition (June 13) – I was so excited about this one, but in the last week the purchase option at Amazon has disappeared. The publisher’s website says you can only get this in the UK. If you still want a house edition, you can find them in hardcover and paperback at Book Depository (dot) com. Now that I think about it, I think that is how I got my Ravenclaw edition of the first book, too.
Midsummer’s Mayhem – A contemporary retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. An Indian American girl who feels forgotten in her super talented family enters a baking contest. But her mysterious new friend and the wondrous and strange ingredients he helps her find for her baking may be causing more trouble than she realizes.
This Was Our Pact (GN) – At the Autumnal Equinox Festival, the town sets lanterns adrift in the river. Tradition says that the lanterns eventually float up to the Milky Way and become stars. One group of kids decides to follow the lanterns’ journey down the river to see where they actually go.
The Time Museum Vol 2 (GN) – The Time Museum chooses kids from all over history for internships. A group of time travelers go to Versailles in 1778 under the direction of a squad led by President Richard Nixon to save an alliance between the US and France.
Treasure Hunters: All-American Adventure – The treasure hunters are stuck in Washington DC when they discover a fake Bill of Rights. Book 6 in the series.
The Ables (GN) – A teen with telekinesis is excited to find out he’s going to superhero high school, but he doesn’t expect to be placed in the special education class for “disabled empowered kids” who call themselves “the Ables.” Book 2 will be out in September.
The Exact Opposite of Okay – A teen is caught in a compromising position with the son of a politician and finds her reputation trashed. She expects things will blow over so she can get back to her regularly scheduled high school life, but there is no end to the scandal in sight.
Rise – Sequel to Rule, about a kingdom with a dying king and a murdered heir as well as three illegitimate daughters who have a chance at the throne. I have both books on my library wish list.
Screen Queens – Three young women competing in a highly competitive tech competition learn that all-female teams never win, and they have several factors working against them. I have requested this one from the library.
Urban Legendz (GN) – A police officer’s son joins a group of vigilantes looking into some monstrous events going on in town.
The Hormone Diaries: The Bloody Truth About Our Periods (June 13) – From the woman who hosts a YouTube series by the same name. An honest look at periods, hormones and contraception.
Books for Adults
The Black Cat Steps on a Crack (ebk) – Book 4 in the Bad Luck Cat Mystery series. A headstrong librarian meets a dark end and a friend is accused of murder, so mystery writer Sabrina Tate and her cat Hitchcock start to investigate. This series sounds delightful! I need to check this one out.
Chai Another Day (Trade Paperback) – Book 4 in the Spice Shop Mystery series. The owner of a Pike Place Market spice shop stumbles across another murder.
A Crafter Hooks a Killer (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Handcrafted Mystery series. I’ll be reviewing this one later this week!
The Disappearance of Alistair Ainsworth (Hardcover) – Book 3 in the Daughter of Sherlock Holmes series. This time, Joanna and the Watsons are drawn into a case involving a cryptographer held captive by the Germans during the war. You can read my review of book one here.
Fix Her Up (Trade Paperback) – A woman who chose being a clown and planning children’s birthday parties over her family’s home renovation business can’t get anyone to take her seriously in the romance department. So she convinces her brother’s friend, a former baseball player, to be her fake boyfriend. They can use their fake relationship to help both of them out of personal problems – what could go wrong? I ADORE fake relationship stories in romance books, so this is definitely on my list for this week.
The Friend Zone (Trade Paperback) – Kristen is facing a serious medical procedure that will make her unable to have children. And she hasn’t told anyone else. When she meets an amazing guy who wants to have a big family one day, she determines to steer clear of him so neither of them will get hurt. But their mutual attraction is hard to resist. I have been on a romantic-comedy streak lately and this sounds like just the right story to continue that streak!
Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck & Fortune (Trade Paperback) – Food, heritage and finding family. Natalie Tan returns home after her estranged mother’s death and discovers she has inherited her grandmother’s restaurant. The neighborhood “seer” tells Natalie she must cook three recipes from her grandmother’s cookbook to help the neighboring businesses that are struggling. Then her own restaurant will see success. This sounds fascinating – a little magic, some bitterness and old wounds, and plenty of cooking. Sign me up!
Over the Line (Trade Paperback) – When a dying man shows up gasping her brother’s name, Gabby turns to her homicide detective ex to help her find her brother.
Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron (Hardcover) – First in a new trilogy set after Return of the Jedi. A squad of pilots commanded by General Hera Syndulla herself are tasked with tracking down a rogue group of TIE fighters wreaking havoc in revenge for the fall of the Empire.
Sweet Tea and Secrets (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Book Tea Shop Mystery series. In the midst of planning a Fourth of July Tea for her great-aunt’s vintage tea room, Callie gets caught up in the rumors about the disappearance of a famous TV actress who was last seen in Heart’s Harbor. You can read my review of book one here.
This Is Home (Trade Paperback) – A military wife with a missing husband moves into the first floor apartment of a building owned by a policeman’s sister. The policeman knew the woman’s husband in the military. I am still reading this one, but I will be reviewing it later this month.
Waiting for Tom Hanks (Trade Paperback) – A screen writer who dreams of being the next Nora Ephron thinks finding her own Tom Hanks will solve all her troubles. This is at the top of my list for this week.
The Enemy of the People: A Dangerous Time to Tell the Truth in America (Hardcover) – CNN’s Jim Acosta details his rocky relationship with President Trump and the President’s war against the media.
For Such a Time as This: Hope and Forgiveness After the Charleston Massacre (Trade Paperback) – A hospital chaplain who lost her mother and two cousins in the shooting at Emanuel AME Church in 2015 talks about hope and forgiveness in the face of tragedy.