Happy Pub Day to these authors!
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark, Penguin Random House Canada, Castle Point Books, and Publicity Prose for providing copies of these books!
What books are you most excited for this week?
Title: No Good Deed
Author: C.D. Bennett
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: June 26, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★
No Good Deed…goes unpunished.
Kiya James’ relocation to idyllic Riverton Colorado is disrupted when she discovers a critically wounded man lying in a field near her home. Little did she know that her selfless act to save the man’s life would thrust her into a world of corruption, greed, and danger. As the only witness to the initial attack, and shaken by an attempt on her own life, Kiya is offered refuge with the victim’s family. Together, they struggle to uncover the circumstances that would trigger an unknown assailant to unleash a string of deadly attacks in an otherwise quiet rural ranching community.
Jake McCleary’s world could have been destroyed with a single bullet if it hadn’t been for the quick actions of a stranger. Now, in a desperate attempt to protect her, and his entire family, Jake must fight to defend his home, livelihood, and the woman who is rapidly capturing his heart, against the vicious actions of a criminal that will stop at absolutely nothing to get what he wants. But will they find the answers they need in time, or will they lose everything to the conceit of a madman? And will the bond between his wounded brother and the woman that saved him prove to be too big of an obstacle for Jake to overcome in the pursuit for Kiya’s love?
This book was suspenseful and exciting. I loved how close the McCleary siblings were. They all worked together to run their ranch, and to solve the mystery of who shot Dylan. There were quite a few heart pounding twists that kept me wondering what would happen next. The ending was sweet and heartwarming!
No Good Deed is an exciting thriller!
Thank you The Wild Rose Press and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!
Content warnings: gun violence, knife violence, hospital scenes, blood, kidnapping, car accident
Have you read No Good Deed? What did you think of it?
Title: Fly Me to the Moon, Vol. 1
Author: Kenjirō Hata
Genre: Manga, Young Adult, Romance
Publisher: Viz Media
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 8, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★
From the day his parents named him, Nasa Yuzaki has felt connected to outer space…whether he likes it or not. His efforts to outperform the space program veer off course when an accident introduces him to Tsukasa, a mysterious girl with strange powers. Is she an alien, a moon goddess or something else? Since she insists on marrying him, Nasa will have plenty of chances to find out!
This manga was so cute. It was sarcastic and funny at times. It had the “love at first sight” trope, which isn’t usually my favourite, but it was done in an exaggerated and funny way so it was entertaining. It was often cinematic in the way the story was told. I’m looking forward to continuing the series!
Fly Me to the Moon, Vol. 1 is an entertaining manga!
Thank you Viz Media and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!
Content warnings: car accident, hospital scene, blood
Have you read Fly Me to the Moon, Vol. 1? What did you think of it?
Title: Reign Returned (The Felserpent Chronicles #1)
Author: Katie Keridan
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: SparkPress
Source: Bookinfluencers.com
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 1, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
Kyra Valorian is the most gifted Astral healer the golden-blooded realm of Aeles has seen in ages. When tragedy strikes, Kyra discovers she possesses a life-changing she’s a Recovrancer, able to enter the realm of the dead and recover those who’ve died before their time. Unfortunately, recovrancy is outlawed in her realm. Desperate for answers, Kyra will do anything to get them . . . even partner with a dangerous enemy.
Sebastian Sayre is the most sought-after Daeval assassin in all of Nocens. A silver-blooded Pyromancer, he wields fire and dreams of finding Rhannu, a legendary sword that makes its holder invincible. Since the sword was long ago stolen from Nocens and hidden where no Daeval can retrieve it, however, such a dream seems impossible … until he encounters the one Astral who might be both able and willing to help him.
As Kyra and Sebastian work together to uncover the secrets of their realms, they also uncover secrets within their own pasts—pasts that are far more intertwined than they ever imagined. Ultimately, in this tale of discovery, destiny, and a love strong enough to outlast time, remembering the past just may prove to be the only way to change the future.
This book is an exciting story about a couple from opposing regions who have been reincarnated from a past King and Queen. There was a complex magic world, which included animal companions for each of the characters. I loved the main characters Kyra and Sebastian. They had well developed backstories, and they had some secrets in their past too. I’m so excited to continue reading this trilogy!
Reign Returned is a great beginning to this series!
Thank you Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!
Content warnings: death of parent, child abuse (off page), murder (off page)
Have you read Reign Returned? What did you think of it?
Title: Dogsred, Vol. 1
Author: Satoru Noda
Genre: Manga, Young Adult
Publisher: Viz Media
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 18, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★
Ice hockey action from the creator of Golden Kamuy!
Rou once chased figure-skating glory. Now he chases redemption in the ice hockey rink.
After winning the national championship, 15-year-old figure skater Rou Shirakawa was on his way to the Olympics. But with his mother’s tragic death on his mind, he threw it all away in an outburst of rage. Banned from figure skating, he and his sister move to Hokkaido. When he meets some local kids at the skating pond, they convince him to be a stand-in player for their soon-to-be-disbanded hockey team. The team has never won a game, and they’re up against the local champs—but if they’ve got to go down, they want to score at least one goal before it’s all over. Rou hasn’t got a clue how to play ice hockey, but he sure knows how to skate!
In this manga, a promising young figure skater, Rou, gives up his future of skating at the Olympics after his mother passes away. Even though he doesn’t want to figure skate anymore because it reminds him of his mother, he still skates on his own and some kids talk him into playing hockey with them. I liked that Rou didn’t completely give up his passion of skating. He found a different way to skate in a new sport. There were some hints of what’s to come at the end of the story, of Rou possibly joining a hockey team.
Dogsred, Vol. 1 is a great start to this manga series!
Thank you Viz Media and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book for a paid campaign!
Content warnings: death of parent (off page)
Have you read Dogsred, Vol. 1? What did you think of it?
Title: Foster’s Leash
Author: Sarah Sommer, Bulankinaka (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Mascot Kids
Source: Author
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: April 1, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★
Fostering animals isn’t easy. Suddenly, you’re living with a strange dog that needs your help. And once you’ve finally bonded, it’s time to say goodbye. But hard things are worth doing, especially when they change lives. Follow along to see rescue dog Pepper and her foster family navigate the foster process, the feelings that come with it, and how one leash makes all the difference.
In this picture book, a girl and her mom foster a dog, named Pepper. While the girl is walking Pepper, she meets a woman and she explains that they are fostering the dog. Fostering pets is so important, because the pets learn how to be part of a family before finding their forever home. My family didn’t officially foster pets, but we cared for outdoor cats for years, including getting them vet care, until they were all adopted into loving homes. We brought the last 3 cats to live inside with us. Though it can be hard to say goodbye to a pet you’ve fostered, it is worth it in the end because they’ve found their forever home.
Foster’s Leash is an important children’s book!
Thank you Sarah Sommer and iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!
Have you read Foster’s Leash? What did you think of it?
Happy Pub Day to these authors!
Thank you Wednesday Books, Penguin Teen Canada, and Tundra Books for providing copies of these books!
What books are you most excited for this week?
Title: The Ghosts of Apollo
Author: John Madower
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 15, 2025
Rating: ★★★★
An edgy, modern spy thriller, The Ghosts of Apollo challenges our perception of the US space program, and our current world. Reluctant heroine Tess Shefford desperately struggles to protect a secret, hidden since NASA’s Apollo Program, as she races to solve an audacious modern crime. With her life in peril, how can she prevail with assassins on the loose, autonomous vehicles used as killing machines, data mining to expose deeply hidden secrets, and a system that does not trust her?
President Kennedy’s 1961 speech to Congress not only aimed to land a person on the moon and bring them back safely, it also set forth other objectives that we tend to forget.
This fast-paced novel follows the logical extension of the president’s speech and imagines where that might have led.
This story is about a device that communicates with a NASA satellite that was stolen by Russian spies. The main story was fascinating and exciting. There were a few times the story went off on tangents or told anecdotes from the past that didn’t really have anything to do with the main story. However I really enjoyed the twists and the way the story ended!
The Ghosts of Apollo is a great read!
Thank you The Wild Rose Press and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!
Have you read The Ghosts of Apollo? What did you think of it?
Title: How to Talk to Your Succulent
Author: Zoe Persico
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: April 1, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★
After the loss of her mother, Adara struggles to communicate with her family about her grief. When a sympathetic ear arises in an unlikely place, Adara can finally find her words — but can she find the time to listen? A stunning graphic novel for middle-grade readers about family, friendship and magic in unlikely places, for fans of The Witches of Brooklyn and Raina Telgemeier.
Eleven-year-old Adara and her dad are moving from California to the cold and flat lands of Michigan . . . and it sucks. After Mom’s recent passing, it seems way too soon. Talking to Dad has always been harder than with Mom, but now it’s like walking on eggshells. And why did Dad bring so many of Mom’s houseplants across the country? Her mother might have been called the Plant Whisperer back home, but Adara is beginning to wonder if there is something more to it. But when she meets a little succulent named Perle, she unlocks the same magical ability her mother talking to plants!
But taking care of Perle isn’t as easy as it seems — the environment isn’t suited for her, and Adara doesn’t know how to meet her needs. Kind of like the situation Adara herself is in. If only Perle could ask Adara for help . . . and Adara could ask her dad.
With a touch of magic, this debut middle-grade graphic novel explores loneliness, mental health and empathy, and shows how communication, openness and a willingness to listen can help young people — and older people — and plants! — navigate their mental well-being and heal from loss, individually and together.
This was an emotional story about healing through grief. The main character, Adara, had lost her mother but she gained her mother’s ability to speak to plants. Adara’s father was also grieving for his wife, but he often became angry for no reason. I liked the way the illustrations showed their emotions with vines growing around them to show their anger or sadness. This was a powerful way to show how emotions can physically affect you.
How to Talk to Your Succulent is a powerful middle grade graphic novel!
Thank you Tundra Books for providing a copy of this book!
Content warnings: death of parent, depression
Have you read How to Talk to Your Succulent? What did you think of it?
Title: Twas the Night Before Easter
Author: Harry Caminelli, Dhamma Cakka
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: January 1, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★
It’s just a normal night for Easter Bunny . . . or is it? Oh no!! Easter is tomorrow, he suddenly realizes, and he forgot to hide the eggs for children all around the world, so . . . now it is a mad scramble to see if he can save the day and get the job done. Frantic and funny, Twas the Night Before Easter is the newest addition to Taffy Tales’ best-selling ‘Twas the Night Before series. About This Series: The Twas the Night Before series from Taffy Tales began with the classic best-seller The Night Before Christmas . . . and then it kind of spilled over into other seasonal titles, and even into some non-seasonal fun. From now on, every major holiday will be anticipated, celebrated and remembered with Taffy Tales’ Twas the Night Before titles. Taffy Tales creates best-selling children’s titles that will be cherished and remembered.
This is an adorable Easter picture book! In this story, it’s the night before Easter when the Easter Bunny realizes he’s forgotten Easter. He must rush around to get the Easter eggs painted and hidden for children to find on Easter morning. I love this adaptation of the Twas the Night Before Christmas poem. This story followed the same beats as that poem and had some funny twists along the way!
Twas the Night Before Easter is a beautiful Easter picture book!
Thank you Taffy Tales and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!
Have you read Twas the Night Before Easter? What did you think of it?
Jill's Book Blog 