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Category Archives: Upcoming Releases

Love: Netgalley

11 Feb

Oh, Netgalley! So many pre-published books and not enough time to read them all in… but I try!

I try to be discerning about what I ask for. But it’s also hard when I am pre-approved by a publisher and it just says “Read it”.

I try to not download all the books. But I can’t help myself when they’re my favorite authors, buzzed about books, or sound so fabulous.

I try to read them one at a time in the order of the archive date. But when the mood strikes me, I might skip ahead.

And,

I always review the pre-published books I’ve been gifted to read. It is the obligation.

I always use the Netgalley app but now that they’ve added a read feature built into the website, I’m using that just as much.

I always share with others this gem of an additional resource. What’s not to love?

 
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Posted by on February 11, 2025 in Blogging, Miscellaneous, Upcoming Releases

 

Love: Book announcements and cover reveals

06 Feb

My bookish Instagram is all about following authors, publishers, and book-related creators to keep track of the social side of the business. There’s nothing more fun than stumbling upon an author’s tease about an upcoming project or cover reveal as was the case two days ago from an author I follow.

There are only a few great surprises left in the world. This is one of them!

 
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Posted by on February 6, 2025 in Events, Upcoming Releases

 

10 authors that I automatically add to my TBR

20 Oct

Today I saw a publisher post on Instagram highlighting Sy Montgomery’s new book What the Chicken Knows: A New Appreciation of the World’s Most Familiar Bird due out in November. Without thinking, I opened my Goodreads app and added it to my TBR. It got me thinking about those authors that automatically get added to my TBR without a second thought. They are, in no particular order:

  1. Ruta Sepetys
  2. Sy Montgomery
  3. Jason Reynolds
  4. Jeff Zentner
  5. Erik Larson
  6. Jon Krakauer
  7. James L. Swanson
  8. Mary Roach
  9. Caitlin Doughty
  10. Candace Fleming
 
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Posted by on October 20, 2024 in Adult, Authors, Childrens, Fiction, Middle grade, Nonfiction, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult

 

Celebrate romance

10 Aug

Romance is in the air. I’m feeling extra lovey today on my wedding anniversary and having finished Jason Reynolds’ new book that will be out in October called Twenty Four Seconds from Now last night, I thought I’d post some favorite romances.

First, let’s spend a few minutes bowing down to the genius of Jason Reynolds. This story of Neon and Aria has a timeline that sparkles in addition to the community including family and friends that support their two year romance. It’s heartwarming and natural and is exactly the kind of story that teens deserve.

The others that I’ve adored that range from tragic and sad to all-encompassing and sweet.

What are your favorite romance stories?

 
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Posted by on August 10, 2024 in Adult, Authors, Comics, Cover Love, Fiction, Graphic novels, Illustrators, Manga, Middle grade, Upcoming Releases, Verse, Young Adult

 

Six sensational enemies to lovers

02 Jun

There are a plethora of romantic tropes to explore (and I might even get to a few more before the end of the month), but this one: enemies to lovers will be the next six sensational set of books.

  1. Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth: Mix gaming and Renaissance Fares in retelling Shakespeare in a high school and there’s no disappointment.
  2. Guava and Grudges by Alexis Castellanos: A generations-old grudge between families boils over in their Cuban bakeries with a new nephew in town and the daughter of the other.
  3. Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu: Excited for the sequel, readers are introduced to a pop star and covert operative who have to team up to take someone else down.
  4. I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang: Saying what’s on her mind hasn’t worked out well for Sadie now that her email drafts have been sent to the never-intended recipients including her academic rival.
  5. Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce: An empowering story about a girl getting over an ex even though the new love interest started off as a contentious fake dating situationship.
  6. You Bet Your Heart by Danielle Parker: I love a good competition.
 
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Posted by on June 2, 2024 in Fiction, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult

 

Six from Sunday

13 Nov

Sunday is for housework, so there’s always an audiobook playing whether a new one, middle of one, or finishing one up. So first was finishing up the audiobook If You Still Recognize Me by Cynthia So, a YA featuring GLTBQ characters, friendship estrangement, and Cantonese culture.

The second was finishing a short story collection I recently borrowed from the public library called Night of the Living Queers edited by Shelly Page and Alex Brown, a few weeks past spooky season, however it was still a smart read featuring GLBTQ characters and all sorts of creepiness.

Third was finishing a nonfiction title recommended by a colleague in a recent professional development session called Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley and David Kelley. Inspiring and thought-provoking.

Fourth was Deb Caletti’s newest Plan A which I wanted to get through ahead of professional development session I’m going to be running in the next few days as it’s a timely read on abortion for a teen audience.

In between halves for my son’s indoor soccer team, I threw in a short read, my fifth– a WhoHQ title that was just delivered– What Do We Know About the Winchester House? by Emma Carlson Berne to which I could safely answer before I read it… nothing! But now I know something.

And I started a sixth before bed: Kate Pearsall’s Bittersweet in the Hollow with the gorgeous cover and intimidating quote “beware the forest”.

 
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Posted by on November 13, 2023 in Adult, Audiobooks, Cover Love, Fiction, Nonfiction, Short Story, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult

 

The value of reading widely

27 Jul

Just because I work primarily with teens doesn’t mean I read only young adult titles. Actually, my work is stronger because I read widely.

My own kids are now going to be freshmen in high school, so we’re well out of reading picture books at bedtime, but I still read children’s books to learn from and stare at beautiful illustrations.

I don’t work in a middle school, but I know that some high school students are reading below grade level and there’s quite a bit of hopefulness in middle grade novels to be valuable to read when I need to be uplifted.

Yes, I work with teens, so I’m always going to read YA. Plus, the value of YA provides an opportunity to bring me reflect back to my teen days, allow me to remember what it’s like (the further I get away from it) in continuing to work with teens, and also to recognize the creativity of YA authors in their storytelling for this audience.

I’m an adult and I haven’t always read novels for adults, but in addition to being on a committee currently that is about reading a bevy of adult novels, it’s good to remember I am one. And then I get to talk about it with other adults.

Within the last week, here has been my reading widely rainbow (minus the adult book because I can’t share!)

 
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Posted by on July 27, 2023 in Adult, Childrens, Fiction, Graphic novels, Miscellaneous, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult

 

A book for every day of the week

30 Apr

Pulled from books read this month with one that hasn’t come out yet, how I think about the books in the context of Monday through Sunday.

Monday: Putting your best foot forward for the work week ahead on a Monday. Ann Lowe wanted to put her best foot forward the best dresses created by her hands every day. Only The Best: The Exceptional Life and Fashion of Ann Lowe is a perfect Monday read to inspire you to tackle the week.

Tuesday: Well, did Monday run you or did you run Monday? It happens that the day doesn’t go well but instead of stewing in it for days on end, recognize it, put a rhyme to it, and move past it. Ode to a Bad Day helps you realize that it’s all temporary.

Wednesday: Hump day. Midweek. Squished, literally in the middle like Avery is squished in a family of seven kids without a room of her own. But you can be just as forceful but still sweet at she is to make it through.

Thursday: It’s the new Friday. It’s the comfort that tomorrow is Friday and you’ve made it through the week. The graphic novel adaptation of the original, the Fangirl volumes already released, one and two, are the adorably comfortable and vulnerable stories to keep you looking toward the weekend.

Friday: Friday Night Lights, synonymous with football. Greenwald hasn’t shied away from the dangers of football and in his newest, Dinged, he does it again. It’s entertainment and pride, but it’s also health and wellness. A good thought to keep in mind with the overindulgences of the weekend!

Saturday: The weekend is here and it’s all about fun and games like Jennifer Lynn Barnes skillfully does in the Hawthorne Legacy series ending with The Final Gambit. Winner does take all.

Sunday: When you need the umph to get fired up for the week, turn to characters like Perry in Warrior Girl Unearthed— she knows who she is and what she wants. Her sights are set on a way forward even if it means stepping into danger. But her internalized stickwithitness is a solid feeling to have that we can all make it!

 
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Posted by on April 30, 2023 in Audiobooks, Childrens, Cover Love, Fiction, Graphic novels, Middle grade, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult

 

A tale of the ‘finish in one day’ read: Check & mate

18 Apr

Last week was spring break. Naturally I planned a lot of reading time into each day along with other relaxing activities, plus housework and to-do list items. There are the quick reads, the fast-paced reads, the slower reads, the savory reads, the brain breaks, and the in-betweens. Based on my interest level or mood, I can tell pretty quickly what kind of book it’ll be.

I had been sent a galley copy of Ali Hazelwood’s YA due out this November called Check & Mate. This is where I confess that while I’ve seen Hazelwood’s books for adults everywhere, I haven’t read one yet, but a YA, now that was music to my high school librarian ears. And it’s punny chess title was also a bonus. Another confession- I’m not an avid chess player, I can rarely hold my own against my teenage sons, but I do play a little. I also watched The Queen’s Gambit. And I have joyously celebrated the return of raucous chess matches in our library (years ago that’s all our teens did was play chess, we had 5-6 that went out per period, then there was a die-off, but now it’s back again).

Back to the book. I picked it up off the pile and thought it would be an enjoyable stopover before the next book. What I got was an intense sprint/marathon battle for the next several hours. I literally wanted to sprint through it to know how it all ends (of course I knew how it HAD to end, but just in case). And I literally wanted to pace myself too because I didn’t want to it to end because if it ended it would be over and I couldn’t go back again.

I loved the prevalence of chess in the story– not too much, not too little. I fell in love with Mallory and her family, especially her littlest sister and the indifference when readers meet Mallory at the beginning of the story. Cue Nolan. Then came the witty banter, the sly hints about the past, the tournaments amplifying the pressure. It was exactly what I wanted. It was exactly what I needed. And when I found out I would have to stay up WAY past my bedtime to pick up my sons returning from a trip, I continued to sip my tea and read. I brought it in the car as I waited in the parking lot. I was thisclose to the end. The boys were back home and it was close to midnight. Do I wait until morning to finish it just so I can extend it a few more hours?

No. I must finish it.

And that I did. I fell into bed tired and book drunk. Is that a thing? It needs to be. The enemies to lovers trope won’t ever get tired in the capable hands of Hazelwood. Nor will romance ever be dead. The last thing that I want to give credit for is the topic of sex in the book, from the humorous scenes to the serious ones. It’s an age relevant topic and I want more of this in YA.

It’s not out until November, so you have plenty of time to sign up for publisher giveaways and preorder it, but put it on your list.

 
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Posted by on April 18, 2023 in Authors, Cover Love, Fiction, Upcoming Releases, Young Adult

 

New semester

22 Aug

Celebration is always a good thing, for little or big events alike. It’s why Christina Tosi’s Dessert Can Save the World spoke to me; the takeaway is that we should all spend time enjoying life and if there’s dessert it is even better.

So it’s with this post that I’m celebrating the start of a new semester teaching graduate students about young adult literature (with a cup of masala chai): not only because I love the topic (it’s my favorite part of being a school librarian) but because it’s a chance to update and adapt both to changes in young adult literature and to previous students’ experiences in the course and my own learning about online learning for a new crop of would-be librarians. Not all of them will end up working with teens but if I can instill a love of the depth and breadth that young adult literature has to offer, I’ve done my job.

We start off talking about their own reading lives before transitioning to understanding how that affects how we encourage teens in their own reading journey. The video reflection has the benefit of feeling confessional, for better and worse, around what preconceived notions they have about YA lit but also how much time they spend reading for pleasure themselves. This is used to get to know them but also guide the discussions moving forward.

The only thing that makes me nervous going into the fall semester? I have not cleared any of my TBR piles which means my already deep stack of books to be read will only get deeper. As my students read and evaluate books I haven’t read (but now I want to!), I borrow them almost instantaneously thus making my stacks larger.

Here’s just a few in my currently reading pile: Fractured Path (A Mirror novel) by J.C. Cervantes, The Feeling of Falling in Love by Mason Deaver, and A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser. Though there’s plenty more where those came from.

 
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Posted by on August 22, 2022 in Upcoming Releases, Young Adult

 
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