found family

Sea of Charms

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by Sarah Beth Durst
First sentence: “Marin was alone on her sailboat, and the sea was singing.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Release date: July 28, 2026
Others in the series: The Spellshop, The Enchanted Greenhouse
Content: There are some tense moments. It will be in the Romance section of the bookstore.

Ever since she found out her ex-fiancé was swindling her and her family, Marin has been at sea. She makes her living as a runner, slowly paying off the debt her parents accrued when the bottom came out of Marin’s relationship. She’s alone, and she likes it that way. Until she picks up a sea serpent, a sentient wax myrtle (Ree!), and finally a musician she rescued from the revolution happening on the capital island. Suddenly, Marin isn’t alone anymore, and maybe, just maybe, she likes it better that way.

This one is going to be billed as a romance, but it’s barely that. It’s going to be billed as fake dating (there is a little bit of that). What it is, rather, is a super cozy fantasy, with a side of romance (just kissing at the very end), about found family. Which is to say: I loved it. This is everything I want in a romantasy: fully developed characters, a heroine that is smart and capable and not pining over someone all the time, a MMC that is smart and capable and interesting. And MOST OF ALL: a fantasy world that makes sense, is thoroughly built up, and is a place I want to spend time.

And (of course) Durst gives me all of that. And a charming sentient plant on top of it.

If you haven’t picked this series up yet, you’re missing out.

The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night

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by Steven Banbury
First sentence: “She ran.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: It’s a little long, and mildly scary at moments. It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore.

Eve was in an orphanage, but she was incredibly unhappy. She had several failed escape attempts, but one Hallows Eve night, she ran away and straight into the path of the Pumpkin King. He was impressed with her spirit, and adopted her on the spot: he needed an heir, she needed a home. It was perfect. Except that she’s living and Hallowell Valley is a haven for the undead – witches, ghosts, gouls, vampires, and werewolves, and the like. She stubbornly makes her home there, and even makes a couple of friends. That is, until things go sideways, and it looks like someone it trying to take the Pumpkin King’s kingdom away. Can Eve and her friends figure out what’s going on before it’s too late?

To be honest: I thought this was a graphic novel when I picked it up. It’s not – just in case you were wondering. But it is a very cozy, very sweet little story of found family and learning to love and making good change where you’re at. I thought it was cute and charming, but I’m not entirely sure it’s going to be one that kids will gravitate to. Maybe certain kids, and I’m sure it would be a very fun Halloween read-aloud. But, I am not sure that it’s one of those books that kids are going to love. I might be wrong. At any rate, I thought it was a clever idea, well-executed, and very sweet in the end.

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman

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by Gennifer Choldenko
First sentence: “My name is Hank Hooperman, but my little sister calls me Pooperman.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is some mild swearing and bad parenting (including drinking and driving). It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore.

Hank has a problem: his mother left a week ago to run an errand, leaving 11-year-old Hank in charge of his three year old sister Boo. They’ve managed, so far, but they’ve run out of food and money. So, Hank decides what he needs to do is find Lou Ann, the person his mother put down as his emergency contact. Once there, though, Hank has a whole new set of problems: Lou Ann isn’t fond of “teenagers” (even though Hank is only 11), and she really isn’t fond of the way his mother just left. As Hank tries to find her, and to find footing in this life that he’s suddenly been thrust into, the only thing that grounds him is he knows that he and Boo need to stick together.

This was a gut punch of a book that went down so well. Choldenko knows how to write kids, and knows how to write difficult situations that give the A book weight without dragging it down. I liked that Hank still had good days – he made friends at his new school, found out that he liked basketball, and learned to rely a bit on the adults around him, instead of needing to do it all himself – and yet, Choldenko didn’t brush over all the trauma that Hank had to deal with. His mother being unreliable, Lou Ann being super strict and not liking Hank much at all, the fear that he and Boo would be separated. There was a lot of heartbreak here. But there was also a lot of joy, which I suppose is what life is.

I’m not sure if it’ll appeal to kids, but I really liked this one.