Happy Pub Day to these authors!
Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Wattpad Books, and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing copies of these books!
What books are you most excited for this week?
Title: Spirit Service (Spirit Service #1)
Author: Sarena and Sasha Nanua
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 22, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★
Ghostbusters meets The Baby-Sitters Club in this supremely sweet and spooky story about four seventh graders who start a small business helping their local neighborhood spirits pass on to the other side.
All Raveena wants is to bring back her school’s beloved arts program. It’s been six months since her music-loving grandmother passed, and four since Hollows’ Peak Middle School cut its entire arts budget. Now Raveena has no way to practice music, and worse, no way to honor Grandmama’s memory.
But Raveena’s world turns on its head when she and her friends stumble upon an otherworldly discovery: an old-fashioned telephone with the ability to contact ghosts!
With her newfound possession, Raveena devises the perfect plan to raise funds for the arts program: Spirit Service, an agency that guides deceased townspeople to the afterlife by reconnecting them with their living loved ones. The best part? There are tons of spirits in need of assistance—and people willing to pay big bucks to communicate with them.
But not all spirits are interested in peacefully moving on…
To keep their neighborhood safe, Raveena and her friends must dive into the history of their town and the mysterious phone, and in the process, uncover secrets that are much closer to home.
When I heard about this book I was so excited! The main characters have a business called Spirit Service, which is like the Baby-Sitters Club but instead of babysitting they reunite people with the ghosts of their loved ones. This book was as great as I expected it to be. There were some emotional moments, since they were talking about their loved ones who they had lost. I can’t wait for the next book to come out!
Spirit Service is a great middle grade story!
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me a copy of this book!
Have you read Spirit Service? What did you think of it?
Title: Unicornia: A Magical Birthday
Author: Ana Punset, Diana Vicedo (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: January 7, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★
Wishes, presents, rides, and . . . unicorns! This second sparkling adventure in an upbeat series will captivate chapter book readers.
There is only one thing better than a birthday party—a birthday party in Unicornia! Here the cakes are enchanted, the candies change flavor, and the theme parks are covered in glitter. But Pippa’s birthday has started off on the wrong foot, and her friends must think quickly to turn disaster into great fun. Luckily for them, they live in the most magical place ever!
This was such a fun book in the Unicornia series! Claudia and her friends celebrated her friend Pippa’s birthday because Pippa’s parents were out of town. Even though Pippa was sad, her friends were able to give her the best birthday. The story is set in the fun world of Unicornia with Unicorns that fly around and even act as first responders and rescue people! I love the art in this book. The pictures were in black, white, and shades of blue.
Unicornia: A Magical Birthday is a fun book for young readers!
Thank you Candlewick Press for sending me a copy of this book!
Have you read Unicornia: A Magical Birthday? What did you think of it?
Title: Give Up the Night (Moonstruck #2)
Author: P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 1, 2025
Rating: ★★★★
New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with the astonishing conclusion to their new duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.
Since becoming Moonstruck on her eighteenth birthday, Wren Nightingale has found herself thrust into a world filled with deception, danger, and murder. Uncovering that their magick was fractured and limited when the original Moonstruck ritual was broken by Selene, Wren is determined to find a way to restore it. But the Elementals are split into two factions―some want the ritual completed and their freedom―and others are so terrified of change that they’re willing to end Wren before she can reach the center of the island where the ritual Selene ruined can be completed.
Between his overbearing father’s arrival, Rottingham delegating him more and more responsibility, and Celeste taking a special interest in him, Lee Young has been struggling to find his own path. As much as Lee wants to take his place in the Moonstruck hierarchy, he knows something’s not right at the Academia de la Luna. He thinks if he can talk some sense into Wren and get her to return to the Academia, that everything will turn out alright.
As Wren and Lee both battle for what they believe is right, they’ll have to uncover who their true allies are…and if they’re even on the same side of this magickal fight.
This was an exciting sequel to Draw Down the Moon. It didn’t take long to get right back into the action. I liked the reminders of what happened in the last book because it’s been a while since I’ve read it. The beginning and ending were exciting and action packed, but throughout the middle of the book, the pace slowed because the two main characters were in separate places. I would have liked the ending to be longer so that we can see what happens after the final battle. However, the main plot had a great ending.
Give Up the Night is a great conclusion to the Moonstruck duology!
Thank you Wednesday Books for sending me a copy of this book!
Content warnings: death of parents (off page), death, blood, burns
Have you read Give Up the Night? What did you think of it?
Title: High Priestess and Empress (Arcana Oracle #2)
Author: Susan Wands
Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: SparkPress
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 14, 2024
Rating: ★★★★
On her return to London, artist and seer Pamela Colman Smith discovers that her nemesis, Aleister Crowley, has returned—and his sights are set on her. Despite Aleister’s efforts to stop Pamela from further developing her tarot deck and accessing its magic, she carries on casting her High Priestess and Empress muses, Golden Dawn society leader Florence Farr and popular theatre star Ellen Terry. But when Ellen is poisoned and nearly killed, Pamela realizes that Aleister won’t stop coming for her—not until her muses are dead.
When Aleister reveals his plot to assassinate Queen Victoria and all female rulers, war breaks out between the Aleister’s Carlists and the Golden Dawn. With so many lives on the line—that of the queen, and those of her friends—Pamela must access her inner magic to face the battle of her life.
This book is a great sequel to Magician and Fool. The story was more intense as things heated up with the magical society. The characters faced more danger as their enemies became stronger. There were some exciting magical realism scenes too, as Pamela explored her powers.
High Priestess and Empress is a great sequel!
Thank you BookSparks for providing a copy of this book!
Content warnings: death, murder, drugging, animal death
Have you read High Priestess and Empress? What did you think of it?
Happy Pub Day to these authors!
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and Candlewick Press for sending me copies of these books!
What books are you most excited for this week?
Title: True Beauty, Vol. 2
Author: Yaongyi
Genre: Graphic Novel, Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance
Publisher: Webtoon Unscrolled
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 30, 2023
Rating: ★★★★
Episode 14 – 26
After binge-watching beauty videos online, a shy comic book fan masters the art of makeup and sees her social standing skyrocket as she becomes her school’s prettiest pretty girl overnight. But will her elite status be short-lived? How long can she keep her real self a secret? And what about that cute boy who knows her secret?
This is a great sequel to True Beauty! Jugyeong has to keep the secret of how different she looks without makeup. People treat her differently when she wears makeup and looks traditionally pretty, from when she looks like her natural self. I think she’s starting to understand the problem with becoming someone she’s not, just to conform to society’s standards.
True Beauty, Vol. 2 is a great graphic novel!
Have you read True Beauty, Vol. 2? What did you think of it?
Title: Realm United (The Felserpent Chronicles #3)
Author: Katie Keridan
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: SparkPress
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 8, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★
This enemies-to-lovers YA romantacy is the last book in the popular Felserpent Chronicle series, bringing the story full circle with timely themes of sacrifice, war, and love.
Sebastian Sayre and Kyra Valorian, the former Felserpent King and Queen, thought they knew what reuniting the divided realms of Aeles and Nocens would require of them. But fulfilling their promises to stop Tallus and bring peace between those with silver and gold blood will require sacrifices they didn’t expect to make.
Furious over Kyra’s refusal to help him turn Daevals into Astrals, Tallus assumes control of Aeles and announces he’s developed a weapon capable of killing everyone with silver blood. Kyra discovers a way to defeat him, but it will require her to perform a terrible act she isn’t sure she can live with. Sebastian loathes becoming a recognized public figure, and given his dark past, there are those who don’t trust him to hold a position of power, even as he and Kyra race to reunite the realms.
Filled with old friends and new allies, devastating betrayals and surprising revelations, this heart-pounding conclusion to the Felserpent Chronicles ends where it began: in the grey waters of Death. Controlling the past might change the future, but will saving their world cost Sebastian and Kyra the very bond that binds them across time?
This book is a great finale to the Felserpent Chronicles! Kyra and Sebastian had a lot to do to complete their goal of uniting their two realms, and I wasn’t sure if they would be able to do it in the space of this novel. I loved the ending! All of the questions I had were answered, and there was also a heartwarming surprise!
Realm United is an exciting conclusion to the Felserpent Chronicles!
Thank you Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!
Content warnings: kidnapping, death, murder, death of parent (off page)
Have you read Realm United? What did you think of it?
Title: Missing Clarissa
Author: Ripley Jones
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 7, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★
In a gripping novel perfect for fans of Sadie and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, two best friends start a true crime podcast—only to realize they may have helped a killer in the process.
In August of 1999, dazzlingly popular cheerleader Clarissa Campbell disappears from a party in the woods outside the rural town of Oreville, Washington and is never seen again. The police question her friends, teachers, and the adults who knew her—who all have something to hide. And thanks to Clarissa’s beauty, the mystery captures the attention of the nation. But with no leads and no body, the case soon grows cold. Despite the efforts of internet sleuths and true-crime aficionados, Clarissa is never found—dead or alive.
Over twenty years later, Oreville high-school juniors and best friends Blair and Cameron start a true crime podcast, determined to unravel the story of what—or who—happened to this rural urban legend. In the process they uncover a nest of dirty small-town secrets, the sordid truth of Clarissa’s relationship with her charismatic boyfriend, and a high school art teacher turned small-town figurehead who had a very good reason for wanting Clarissa dead. Such a good reason, in fact, that they might have to make him the highlight of their next episode…
But does an ugly history with a missing girl make him guilty of murder? Or are two teenage girls about to destroy the life of an innocent man—and help the true killer walk free?
This is a suspenseful thriller! It really kept me guessing until the end. I couldn’t figure out what could have happened to Clarissa or who could have killed her. I really liked Cam and Blair. They were a fun pair of best friends to read about because they were similar but also different in a lot of ways. The ending was very fast-paced and exciting! I’m looking forward to reading the sequel!
Missing Clarissa is a suspenseful and exciting thriller!
Content warnings: death of parent (off page), kidnapping, stalking, grooming (off page)
Have you read Missing Clarissa? What did you think of it?
Title: Miss Match
Author: Susan Hughes
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 15, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★
Thirteen-year-old entrepreneur Polly Corbert has a good idea―no, a great idea―for the upcoming end-of-year dance at her middle school.
While almost everyone in the seventh and eighth grades has a crush, none of them are brave enough to ask anyone to the dance. That’s where Polly and her friends’ matchmaking service comes in. But setting up dates for middle-schoolers isn’t as easy as it seems. Polly and her friends face unexpected obstacles and uncomfortable truths as they discover the ups and downs of running a business and dating.
This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!
This is a fun middle grade story about a girl and her friends who start a matchmaking service at their school. This story brought back so many memories of middle school. My friends and I had our first relationships in middle school, so I could relate to these characters. This story was also quite short, so I think it is accessible to reluctant readers. Despite the story being short, all of the characters were well developed!
Miss Match is a fun middle grade story!
Thank you Orca Book Publishers and Susan Hughes for sending me a copy of this book!
Have you read Miss Match? What did you think of it?
Jill's Book Blog 