Book Mail: Romantic Horror, a Magic School, Fake Dating, a Novel in Verse, and More!

The end of the year means book mail slows down for a bit and the UPS guy gets a break from having to stop here daily and have my dogs throw themselves at the door in attempt to eat/befriend him. My TBR pile looks a little more manageable (it won’t last long), though I look forward to continuing to add to it once mail picks back up.

As always, a big thank you to the publishers who keep me in books. All finished copies go back out the door in some fashion to find new homes.

All descriptions from the publishers.

The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents by Nicki Pau Preto (ISBN-13: 9780593528518 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 10/01/2024 Series: The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents #1, Ages 8-12)

A middle grade magic school fantasy perfect for fans of The School for Good and Evil and Witchlings, in which a girl with unparalleled power must work with her misfit classmates to save her new school.

Lavinia “Vin” Lucas is out of control and out of options. Stranded by parents who would rather use their average magical abilities to study dung beetles than raise her, Vin’s been on her own for years. But she’s never been able to corral her own powerful, unpredictable magic. After years of detention, suspension, and expulsion from magic schools far and wide, she’s now being sent to the Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents. If she gets expelled, it’s the end of the line.

Now, Vin is determined to behave. Except no one at Last Hope seems to want her to. Her new teachers—particularly the school’s kind headmistress—push her to explore her magic, and her mischievous classmates delight in every accident. And all the while, a mysterious fire sprite, a suspicious instructor, and her overwhelming abilities might just sabotage Vin. But for the first time, she is not alone.

So when a former student begins attacking the school, Vin must question just how much she knows about the headmistress and her new home. Is this place worth saving? And are her budding abilities—and every trick, trap, and deception in her friends’ delinquent arsenal—enough to protect Last Hope?

The Weirn Books, Vol. 2: The Ghost and the Stolen Dragon by Svetlana Chmakova (ISBN-13: 9781975311278 Publisher: Yen Press Publication date: 10/15/2024 Series: Weirn Books Series #2, Ages 8-12)

After her terrible adventures in the Silent Woods, Na’ya’s world seems to have returned to normal…that is, except for the nightmares that keep haunting her. What she needs is the power to protect everyone in case the evil scientist returns, and she has the perfect solution—she’ll turn into a dragon, once and for all! With help from Ailis and Jasper, everything seems to be going according to plan. But what’s that dark shadow slithering around the spell-casting range…?

Unsinkable Cayenne by Jessica Vitalis (ISBN-13: 9780063314450 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 10/29/2024, Ages 8-12)

“Intensely readable.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

When her unconventional parents finally agree to settle down in one place, twelve-year-old Cayenne’s dreams come true—but the reality of fitting in is much harder than she imagined. Acclaimed author Jessica Vitalis crafts an unforgettable historical novel-in-verse about belonging, family, and social class, for fans of Lisa Fipps’s Starfish and Jasmine Warga’s Other Words for Home.

As Cayenne enters seventh grade, her parents decide it’s time to stop living in their van, roaming from place to place. Cayenne hopes that this means she will finally belong somewhere and make some friends. But it turns out that staying in one place isn’t easy at all.

When her social studies class studies the Titanic tragedy (the wreckage has just been discovered and her teacher is obsessed), Cayenne sees more and more parallels between the social strata of the infamous ship and her own life. Will she ever squeeze her way into the popular girls’ clique, even though they live in fancy houses on the hill and she lives in a tiny, rundown home with chickens in the front yard? Is it possible that the boy she likes actually likes her back? Can she find a way to make room for herself in this town? Does she really want to? Maybe being “normal” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Set in the mid-1980s, this literary novel is for readers of Megan E. Freeman’s Alone and Erin Entrada Kelly’s We Dream of Space. 

The Love Interest by Helen Comerford (ISBN-13: 9781547614790 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Publication date: 11/12/2024, Ages 12-17)

In this swoony and electric YA rom-com that offers a satirical take on superhero conventions, a teenage girl finds herself reluctantly fake-dating a superhero.

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Ray has just been saved by the world’s newest superhero, Blaze. And, in the eyes of the public, that means one thing: Jenna has been cast as the Love Interest.

Jenna has no interest in being a helpless love interest, kidnapped by villains whenever they want Blaze’s attention. In fact, she disapproves of the whole hero industrial complex on principle. But then an association of villains offers her a chance to find new information about her mom, who has been missing for ten years. All she has to do is get close enough to Blaze to spy on him.

The more time Jenna spends with Blaze, though, the harder it gets to lie to him. And the more she uncovers about the Hero’s Association, the more she realizes that her town is in danger-and she might be the only one who can save it.

The Davenports: More Than This by Krystal Marquis (ISBN-13: 9780593463369 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 11/12/2024, Ages 12-17)

The anticipated sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller featuring escapist romance and a wealthy Black family in 1910s Chicago

Like the blazing Chicago sun, the drama is heating up for the Davenports and their social set. Before the summer of 1910 drops its last petal, the lives—and loves—of these four young women will change in ways they never could have imagined:

Newly engaged Ruby Tremaine is eagerly planning her wedding to the love of her life when a nasty rumor threatens her reputation and her marriage. Olivia Davenporthas committed to the social justice cause and secretly hopes she’ll be reunited with dashing lawyer Washington DeWight—until her parents decide she’s to marry someone else. Amy-Rose Shepherd is making her lifelong wish of owning a salon come true, but when an incident forces her to return to Freeport Manor, she’s back in the path of John Davenport, who still holds her heart. Helen Davenport is determined to get over her own heartbreak and bring the Davenport Carriage Company into the new century, even if it means teaming up with a thrill-seeking racecar driver who just loves to get under her skin.

Inspired by the real-life story of the Patterson family, More Than This is the second book in critically adored Davenports series, following four empowered and passionate young Black women as they navigate a rapidly changing society and discover the courage to steer their own paths in life—and love.

In the Winter by Lauren Kukla (ISBN-13: 9781963802009 Publisher: North Star Editions Publication date: 11/12/2024, Ages 4-8)

From the author of Being Me from A to Z comes the charming illustrated tale In the Winter. Travel through snowy woods, over frozen lakes, and beneath dark winter skies aglow with sparkling stars and northern lights. Animals make silent tracks in the snow, while others snooze in their burrows. Communities prepare for events and festivities. This delightful story celebrates the gentle beauty of winter, showing how it brings us together with a quiet sense of coziness and the warmth that comes from human connection.

In the Winter invites readers to embrace the season’s beauty while awaiting warmer days. With soft, cozy illustrations capturing the essence of winter, this book is the perfect companion for bedtime and cherished family moments.

In the Winter is the inaugural print title from the team behind mylittledigital.com, an online platform for interactive children’s stories.

Futureland: The Architect Games by H.D. Hunter, Khadijah Khatib (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593479506 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 11/19/2024 Series: Futureland #3, Ages 8-12)

Mazes and mind games await in this epic third book about the theme park of your dreams, where Cam Walker goes head-to-head with the villains who have been after Futureland from the start. An electrifying illustrated series for fans of Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

“Hold on tight, Futureland will be the ride of your life . . . and maybe the last!” —Kwame Mbalia, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Team Futureland. Their archenemies. A showdown in spectacularly futuristic Egypt.

After Futureland emerges from back-to-back scandals, Cam Walker and his family are ready to confront the people who keep targeting their flying park. A group called the Architects has been after them since Futureland made its Atlanta stop, and the Walkers have had enough.

To settle things, the Architects propose the very first Architect Games, where the Walkers and the Architects will battle in a series of challenges. If the Walkers win, then the Architects will leave them alone once and for all. But if Cam and his family lose, they will lose everything—including Futureland and its prized tech.

The Architects can’t be trusted, but Cam doesn’t have a choice. If he can lead his team to victory, his family and friends will be free. Otherwise, there’s no telling what the Architects will do once they get their hands on Futureland. . . .

Lefty by Mo Willems, Dan Santat (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781454951483 Publisher: Union Square Kids Publication date: 12/03/2024, Ages 4-8)

#1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Mo Willems and Caldecott Medal winner and National Book Award winner Dan Santat join hands in this innovative picture book about lefties (and righties)!

Did you know, there was a time when people could get in trouble—really, really BIG trouble—for being LEFT-HANDED!?

It’s true!

Lefty and Righty hand out the facts in a theatrical performance that spans the ages. Once upon a time, left was considered wrong . . . but now, left or right, it’s all alright. (And there are scissors for everyone!)

Created by the award-winning (right and left) hands of New York Times bestselling authors Mo Willems and Dan Santat, this book ensures that no one gets left behind!

We Are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis (ISBN-13: 9780593707722 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 12/10/2024, Ages 12-17)

Deaths and disappearances pile up as a mysterious beast stalks the French countryside and two girls seize an unlikely opportunity that just might save them all—or serve them up on a platter.

Step into this chilling, historical horror inspired by the unsolved mystery of the Beast of Gévaudan.

When a series of brutal, mysterious deaths start plaguing the countryside and whispers of a beast in the mountains reach the quiet French hamlet of Mende, most people believe it’s a curse—God’s punishment for their sins.

But to sixteen-year-old Joséphine and her best friend, Clara, the beast isn’t a curse. It’s an opportunity.

For years, the girls of Mende have been living in a nightmare—fathers who drink, brothers who punch, homes that feel like prisons—and this is a chance to get them out.

Using the creature’s attacks as cover, Joséphine and Clara set out to fake their friends’ deaths and hide them away until it’s safe to run. But escape is harder than they thought. If they can’t brave a harsh winter with little food… If the villagers discover what they’re doing… If the beast finds them first…

Those fake deaths might just become real ones.

Planet Perfect by Amy Bearce (ISBN-13: 9781631639012 Publisher: North Star Editions Publication date: 01/01/2025 Series: Harbor Set 3, Ages 10+)

Fourteen-year-old Meg knows aliens are real. Everyone does. But she’s not happy with them. Extraterrestrials landed on Earth twenty years ago and took off fast. They didn’t leave behind advanced science or miracle cures. Instead, they delivered an alien reality TV channel. Beamed to the whole galaxy, Planet Perfect is Earth’s obsession. But no Earthling has ever been invited—until now.

Meg wants to fight climate change, not play games. But when she is one of two Earth teens invited to Planet Perfect, she agrees to go. Planet Perfect makes its own clean energy with zero waste. Such knowledge could save Earth. Meg needs to stay in the competition so she can figure out this technology. But the show is harder than expected. The host demands almost impossible tasks with lots of drama. And when Meg finds out that Planet Perfect has a secret that threatens Earth, she realizes she has to win to prove her planet deserves a seat at the intergalactic table.

Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and age-appropriate themes, Harbor’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for tween reluctant readers. Harbor books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 10 and up.

Hekyll and Snyde by Michelle L. Brown (ISBN-13: 9781631638978 Publisher: North Star Editions Publication date: 01/01/2025 Series: Harbor Set 3, Ages 10+)

Lewis Hekyll has big plans to fight world hunger with his S.P.R.O.U.T. plant food formula. But first, the seventh-grade science whiz needs to save his dad’s job as the high school basketball coach. In this tiny town, basketball is the name of the game, and the season is off to a bad start. When Lew sees proof that his S.P.R.O.U.T. formula works, he comes up with the colossal idea to supersize himself. Without waiting to observe the long-term effects, Lew secretly drinks the formula. If his plan works, he’ll be able to save the basketball season, his dad’s job, and the world.

While the experiment is a success, Lew’s new alter ego looms a little too large. But he forges ahead, developing a basketball persona named Jimmy Snyde. Combining Snyde’s size with his own physics knowledge, Lew creates an on-court “miracle kid.” Unfortunately, the off-court monster Lew is becoming may ruin everything.

Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and age-appropriate themes, Harbor’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for tween reluctant readers. Harbor books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 10 and up.

Spoon by Stephanie Peters (ISBN-13: 9781631639098 Publisher: North Star Editions
Publication date: 01/01/2025 Series: Horizon Set 2, Ages 14+)

Sixteen-year-old junior Macy was the starting setter on the varsity volleyball team last year. Now she’s the backup for new girl Alliyah, who is a standout both on and off the court. With her conflict-averse personality, this new role suits Macy just fine . . . until a game called Spoon takes the school by storm.

The rules of Spoon are simple: Decorate a plastic spoon. Keep the spoon with you at all times. If someone demands to see your spoon, you must show it within five seconds. If you can’t, you’re out.

At first, the game seems harmless. Though Alliyah’s competitive streak annoys Macy, and her actions threaten to break the school’s Code of Conduct, Macy knows reporting Alliyah would get the starter benched, hurting the team’s playoff chances. But when Alliyah begins pulling increasingly dangerous stunts in order to win at Spoon, Macy must ask herself: What does it mean to put her team first?

Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. Horizon books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 14 and up.

Walking on Eggshells by Jennifer Phillips (ISBN-13: 9781631639135 Publisher: North Star Editions Publication date: 01/01/2025 Series: Horizon Set 2, Ages 14+)

After a first episode of psychosis lands him a stay in a psychiatric hospital, all sixteen-year-old Kai Lum wants to do is reclaim his life. But now that he’s back home, everything is different. He has medications to take, his dad is always hovering, and everyone at school keeps staring at him. Kai’s determined not to let any of that distract him from proving he can make it as a chef, though. He has his culinary arts program to focus on, and he won’t let his diagnosis change his plans.

But finding his new normal is harder than Kai expects. His medications have side effects that he doesn’t know how to control. His dad pushes him to accept more clinical help, even though Kai’s not sure he wants—or needs—it. And Kai’s best friends are ghosting him. On top of all of that, Kai isn’t sure if the voices he’s hearing are real or in his head.

Kai’s life begins to spin out of control as he struggles to know who he can trust. With his health and dreams on the line, he has to decide whether he’s willing to accept help in order to manage his newly diagnosed mental illness.

Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. Horizon books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 14 and up.

Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kemmerer (ISBN-13: 9781547610105 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Publication date: 01/28/2025 Series: Forging Silver into Stars, Ages 14-17)

Dangerous magic. Fateful choices. Broken promises. The spellbinding series by New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer continues.

The King’s Courier Tycho has made a treacherous bargain. Now beholden to the magical scraver who saved King Gray’s life, one false move could end everything.

Jax escaped his life in Briarlock and traveled with Tycho to Emberfall. But life outside his small village brings unexpected challenges—and unlikely adversaries.

After years of hating the royal family and their magic, Callyn never expected to be at the Queen’s side, with magic on her fingertips. But at the royal court, she can’t trust anyone—including the man she thought she loved.

Cast apart, Tycho, Jax, and Callyn must learn to wield the magic that is dividing their kingdom. As the magical scravers attack from the north and the king’s rivals gain strength, time is running out.

War is looming. Love is tested. And magic could be the only answer. . .

The Girl You Know by Elle Gonzalez Rose (ISBN-13: 9781547616039 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Publication date: 02/18/2025, Ages 14-17)

A dark academia thriller about who is allowed to break the rules and who suffers the consequences, perfect for fans of Jessica Goodman and Holly Jackson.

The week before Luna’s twin sister Solina was supposed to head back for her final semester at Kingswood Academy, an elite boarding school in the Washington mountains, she told Luna she was dropping out. When Luna refused to let her throw away her future, Solina disappeared.

Twelve hours later, she was dead.

Luna knows Solina’s death wasn’t an accident, even if the police say otherwise. There’s a reason Solina didn’t want to go back to Kingswood, and Luna knows she’ll find the truth there. All she has to do is become Solina. Playing Solina comes easy, but finding answers is far from it. Between the cunning, cruel people Solina called her friends, Luna’s budding feelings for her roommate Claudia, and the harsh realization that Solina had dark secrets, getting to the bottom of her sister’s murder is more difficult than Luna could have ever anticipated. But when you have nothing left to lose, you’re willing to do anything to get what you want. There’s no limit to how far Luna will go to avenge her sister-even if she has to burn all of Kingswood to the ground.

Will the Pigeon Graduate? by Mo Willems (ISBN-13: 9781454960430 Publisher: Union Square Kids Publication date: 03/04/2025 Series: Mo Willems’s Pigeon Series, Ages 3-5)

From #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author and illustrator Mo Willems comes this class-ic graduation book.

The Pigeon had better graduate! He did the work! He paid attention to the little details! He overcame some BIG obstacles! The Pigeon’s got this . . . Or does he?

Do YOU think The Pigeon will graduate?

Grab your caps, don your gowns, and raise your hands for The Pigeon’s biggest adventure yet in this uplifting, hilarious, and inspirational graduation picture book from three-time Caldecott honoree Mo Willems. It’s a PhD* in fun! 

(*Pigeon-y hilarious Diatribe)

Till Death by Kellan McDaniel (ISBN-13: 9781665949071 Publisher: MTV Books Publication date: 03/18/2025, Ages 14-18)

Two gay men—one young, one ageless—sink their teeth into reclaiming their lives and identities from those who would silence them in this insatiable romantic horror novel from Hugo and Nebula Award–nominated author Kellan McDaniel.

Howard is biding his time until he can finally leave for college, where he has been promised it gets better. The last thing he expected was to meet a boy. But George reminds Howard of the movie stars from the 1960s he’s obsessed with. Plus, George is endearingly formal and well-read, and his grandpa fashion is super authentic.

After over twenty years together, George is about to lose his life partner. He met James when they were teenagers then lost track of him until they reconnected in their early sixties. Now, James is going somewhere beyond George’s reach—because George is a vampire, forever trapped in the body of a nineteen-year-old.

As the two grow closer, George begins to see a future beyond losing his first love, and Howard stops imagining himself always being alone…even if companionship comes at the cost of his mortality. When the discrimination the men have suffered their whole lives rears its ugly head to take away their happy ending, they finally strike back at the world that’s done its best to subdue them their entire lives.

Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita (ISBN-13: 9781728277035 Publisher: Sourcebooks Publication date: 03/25/2025 Series: Isle of Ever #1, Ages 10-13)

Bestselling and beloved author Jen Calonita delivers the first in a brand new series featuring a girl who will inherit a mysterious fortune if she can break a centuries-old curse!

Days after her twelfth birthday, Everly “Benny” Benedict learns she’s the heir to a fortune! But to collect the inheritance, she first has to play—and win—a game. Following clues that her ancestor left, Benny must locate a small island that vanished long ago, according to legend.

She has only two weeks to play the game and find the island. If she’s successful, she’ll break a two-hundred-year-old curse. If she fails, the fortune will be forfeited. And if she’s not careful, she’ll cross paths with someone else who is after the island’s secrets, and who will stop at nothing to get them. Because, as it turns out, there’s far more than a fortune at stake.

The Family I’m In by Sharon G. Flake (ISBN-13: 9781338573206 Publisher: Scholastic, Inc. Publication date: 04/01/2025, Ages 14-18)

The bestselling and award-winning author of The Skin I’m In and The Life I’m In returns with a novel that explores the complex relationships between Black boys and their fathers, and what it truly means to be a man.Sharon G. Flake’s groundbreaking novel The Skin I’m In ushered in a new voice that lit up the literary landscape and became a modern classic, passed down through generations. The Life I’m In, its sequel, furthered the power of unmistakable voices, opening the hearts and minds of teens everywhere. Now The Family I’m In presents John-John and Caleb, friends since childhood who have come face-to-face with the struggles and triumphs of growing into young men. They’re living in a world where many Black boys are up against generational expectations, fears of the future, and how to navigate being “nice” kids who just want to be seen for who they are. Together, Caleb and John-John work through family illness, divorced parents, teachers who ask hard questions, and girls who think they have all the answers.

Filed under: new books