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Ruthie by Esmé Shapiro

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Ruthie by Esmé Shapiro
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Calling all royal dreamers, explorers, and butterberry pancake lovers! This whimsically illustrated picture book tells a charming tale of friendship and the cozy joys of home. Prince Ruthie leaves their beloved queen behind to explore the kingdom beyond their castle. As journeying into the unknown is not without its dangers, Ruthie soon finds themselves missing the comforts of home and mostly, their loving queen. Ruthie may just have to rely on the help of their loyal subjects (or newfound friends?) to once again return home to their queen. The gentle humor and warmth of the story shine through the softness of Shapiro’s illustrations. Share this delightful story with your favorite friend over a slice of three-year-old cake.

Ruthie by Esmé Shapiro, (List Price: $18.99, Tundra Books, 9781774885659, March 2026)

Reviewed by Laura, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Downfall by Marc J. Gregson

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Downfall by Marc J. Gregson
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Gregson’s final book in the Above the Black series is an incredibly satisfying ending. There’s tension, fighting, betrayals, scary creatures, and even a smidge of romance. Downfall is everything you would want in a sci-fi adventure! Conrad’s uncle, the king, has sent him down to the Below. He says it’s to conquer the colonies there, but Conrad knows it’s a suicide mission. Now it’s his plan to not only survive, but to thrive and eventually take down his uncle.

Downfall by Marc J. Gregson, (List Price: $22.99, Peachtree Teen, 9781682637081, March 2026)

Reviewed by Jennifer, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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All the World Can Hold by Jung Yun

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All the World Can Hold by Jung Yun
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In the week after 9/11, three vastly different people set sail on a cruise to Bermuda that was already planned, and have mixed emotions about the trip and their lives. This extremely compelling story sucked me right into the narrative and didn’t let me go until we docked back in Boston! I immediately felt immersed in the lives of these characters, eager to know what was going to happen next. Highly recommend!

All the World Can Hold by Jung Yun, (List Price: $30, 37 Ink, 9781668200599, March 2026)

Reviewed by Jennifer, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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The Loon Counters by Roger Sheffer

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The Loon Counters by Roger Sheffer
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Roger Sheffer had me convinced The Loon Counters was not sixteen fictional stories but a real place with a community of year-round lake dwellers as well as visitors. Every page was filled with enviable scenery that called for hours of gazing at the lakes in all seasons while watching the loons and looking forward to sitting by a fire at night. Centered around an Adirondack general store with no cell service, the stories include an Olympic torchbearer, hikers, artists, a pianist, a violinist, and more, all connected to the beauty of the region. There is danger and heartbreak and love and threats alongside the incredible silent scenery of the lakes. The stories and characters are jig-saw-puzzled together through the years with Bruce, Martha, Russ, Linda, Albert, Luke, Max, Emma, Joan, Steve, Elise, Cheryl, James, Tristan, and Jayne to name a few. Readers will not want to leave the beauty of the world created in The Loon Counters.

The Loon Counters by Roger Sheffer, (List Price: $24.95, Syracuse University Press, 9780815612001, March 2026)

Reviewed by Nancy, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Vida by Duncan Tonatiuh

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Vida by Duncan Tonatiuh
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Vida is a joyful celebration of art bringing a community together. Tonatiuh’s vibrant illustrations capture the colors and whimsy of fantastical alebrije sculptures, an art form made famous in Mexico. As the title suggests, this picture book captures the life of a community through its art, language, and traditions. A joyful treasure of a book. Alegre!

Vida by Duncan Tonatiuh, (List Price: $18.99, Abrams Books for Young Readers, 9781419764592, November 2025)

Reviewed by Laura Hoefener, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Bog Queen by Anna North

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Bog Queen by Anna North
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Anna North has written a tale with mysteries from a body found in the bog, believed to be 2,000 years old, and today’s struggle for the environment and development. Agnes is a young American forensic anthropologist who is hired to help identify a body believed to be buried in the bog from 196,1 and instead dates the remains as from the Druidic order of Celtic Europe, over 2,000 years old but preserved in the bog. Readers meet the young Druid as her mother has declared her, as she travels to Camulodunon and returns with gifts. She dies at a Solstice celebration and is buried in the bog. Readers will also know much of the life of Agnes as she spars with environmentalists and developers as she tries to save the bog. The mystery of the distant past and today’s conflict will haunt all who open these pages.

Bog Queen by Anna North, (List Price: $28.99, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781635579666, October 2025)

Reviewed by Nancy Pierce, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson

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Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson
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Fans of the high drama of telenovelas will find plenty to enjoy in this Romeo and Juliet retelling. Julieta is the head chef at her family’s fish taco restaurant in a heavily Latinx area near La Jolla. But when their landlord sells their entire block to the Taco King owners, everyone is infuriated, bit none more than Julieta and her mom. See, when Julieta’s mom was young and living in Mexico, she had her own fish taco stand, and she fell in love with a young Mexican American man. But he stole her recipe and took it back to the US to create his fast food empire, and she never saw him again. But, not knowing who he is, Julieta meets the man’s son during the Day of the Dead celebration and falls for him immediately. But are they doomed to fail?

Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson, (List Price: $16, Berkley, 9780593336229, February 2022)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Cabin Head and Tree Head (Cabin Head and Tree Head, Book #1) by Scott Campbell

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Cabin Head and Tree Head (Cabin Head and Tree Head, Book #1) by Scott Campbell
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Ready for adventure? Pack your bags and join Cabin Head and Tree Head as they save the world without losing their heads. The playful comic book-style illustrations paired with hilarious stories will have you falling head over heels with laughter! A truly unique picture book about once-in-a-lifetime friends.

Cabin Head and Tree Head (Cabin Head and Tree Head, Book #1) by Scott Campbell, (List Price: $13.99, Tundra Books, 9781774885055, September 2025)

Reviewed by Laura Hoefener, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Lawless by Leah Litman

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Lawless by Leah Litman
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Leah Littman of Crooked Media takes the post-Warren Supreme Court and explains just exactly how they run on “conservative grievance, fringe theories, and bad vibes.” Using pop culture analogies at times, Littman compares the court to Mean Girls, Game of Thrones, and Arrested Development. If you’re looking for a book that clearly states exactly how we got to where we are today, this is absolutely the book for you.

Lawless by Leah Litman, (List Price: $29.99, Atria / One Signal Publishers, 9781668054628, May 2025)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick

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The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick
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Nikki Erlick has again written a book like no other. Who could forget The Measure after reading it? The same can be said about The Poppy Fields. Ava lost her grandmother and didn’t have her sister Ellis to help with the grief. Ray lost his brother Johnny and can’t get past the loss. Sasha’s fiancé dies just before their wedding. These three find themselves on a road trip to the Poppy Fields. After picking up Sky, they all share their stories of grief and love and fears and joys. Can the magical release of the Poppy Fields help the grieving process? All who read this book will question whether they would choose some release from the pain of loss.

The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick, (List Price: $32, William Morrow, 9780063349339, June 2025)

Reviewed by Nancy Pierce, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli

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Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli
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Albertalli’s newest, about chaos bisexuals and para-social relationships, hits ALL the right notes! Amelia’s a wee bit obsessed with YouTuber Walter, whose bisexual coming out made her feel seen in a way she hadn’t before. Now he’s doing a meet and greet just a car ride away and she just needs to get her friends on board so she can go meet him.

Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli, (List Price: $19.99, HarperCollins, 9780063045927, June 2025)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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In Case You Read This by Edward Underhill

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In Case You Read This by Edward Underhill
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Underhill once again pens a delightful queer romcom. Arden is moving from LA to Michigan and isn’t happy about it at all. He’s used to being invisible as a trans person, and that’s not going to be possible in his new home. Meanwhile Gabe is moving from Illinois to Pasadena and is ecstatic to finally have some queer friends and where he won’t stand out as the only queer, let alone trans, person. As both boys are moving cross-country, they spend one perfect evening together at a hotel in Nebraska. They leave without exchanging information and immediately regret it. What follows is their journey to fit into their new lives, as well as trying to find each other when all they have are their first names and their favorite band. Another five-star read from this author cements him on my “always read” list!

In Case You Read This by Edward Underhill, (List Price: $19.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780063373778, May 2025)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao

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When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao
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Eric, devastated by the death of his best friend, creates his own reality by living his life as if the people he misses are still there. Dreams and reality collide when Haru, a guy he spent a brief few hours with in Japan last summer, shows up in Chicago. Is he real? Or is he in Eric’s head? When Haru Was Here explores devastating loss and figuring out how to let go.

When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao, (List Price: $20, Wednesday Books, 9781250762061, September 2024)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans

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How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans
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Get ready for some major creepy, serial killer vibes with this new YA horror novel! CJ’s hometown has the nickname Slasherville for a reason. It’s been the site of two mass killings, several years apart. The town has embraced the nickname, but CJ is less than thrilled, since their dad barely survived the first one and was killed in the second. And Moon Satter, the mysterious author who penned novelizations of both events, isn’t helping matters. But when CJ receives a new manuscript, with real names of her classmates, she’s not sure if it’s a prank or something scarier.

How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans, (List Price: $19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547616312, March 2025)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia

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Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia
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The Shop Around the Corner vibes around in Ali Brady’s newest novel about rival bookstore owners! Josie manages a literary bookstore just two doors down from the romance bookstore that Ryan manages. But now, the owner of both stores is planning to combine them, but there’s only room for one manager. The one who has the best sales during the next three months wins. They clash instantly after they first meet. But neither realizes that this isn’t the first time they’ve met. They’re actually really good friends on a booksellers’ forum online.

Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia, (List Price: $19.99, Zando Young Readers, 9781638931492, January 2025)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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