Book Mail: A Roundup of the Book Mail I Received Last Week

Early March feels like the first deep breath after a long winter, and this week’s book mail arrived like sunshine in a cardboard box. My TBR pile has grown into a hopeful little stack of what-ifs and maybes, thanks to a book haul filled with new book releases that feel like fresh starts. Each package carried thoughtful book recommendations, like friendly nudges from readers who know the exact story you need when the seasons begin to change. With so many titles already hinting they’ll land among the best books of 2026, it feels like the perfect way to welcome spring—one new story, one perfect afternoon, and one more reason to believe the best chapters are still ahead.

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I want to note that I do not get paid to do these posts, I just love authors and the book industry. However, they do take time and energy to create. If you want to donate a few dollars to my coffee fund, which keeps this blog going, you can do so here: https://venmo.com/AshleyHasty or here: http://paypal.me/hastybooklist.

This Week’s Book Mail Includes:

Burn the Water by Billy Ray – In a drowned, war-torn London of 2425, two legendary enemies fall into a forbidden love that could end the violence—or ignite a final reckoning.
Mrs. Jekyll by Emma Glass – As illness tightens its grip, a dying teacher awakens a ferocious alter self and refuses to surrender her appetite for life—or revenge.
The Nobody Code by Miciah Bay Gault – A former teen vigilante is pulled back into her 90s hometown when eerie clues, missing animals, and old flames suggest her vanished leader is still watching.
The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon – In a smart home where appliances are sentient, a young Roomba named Scout rallies humans and machines to outwit a totalizing system before they lose everything.
Lost in the Summer of ’69 by Eliza Knight – After an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, a widow vanishes on a music-fueled road trip—sparking a cross-country chase and an unforgettable, joy-soaked encore of a life.
The Great Outdoors by Kayla Olson – A meticulous “resort girl” joins a rugged wilderness trek to prove she’s low-maintenance—and finds herself falling for the irresistible guide who thrives on chaos.
Mr. and Mrs. Dixon Hide a Body by Jennifer Holdich – After an accident turns fatal, a miserable couple buries the evidence—then turns on each other in a wicked race to avoid prison by framing their spouse.
When You Dream Big by Peter H. Reynolds – During Dream Big Week, a girl who doesn’t know what she wants to be discovers the powerful truth of who she wants to become.
Hail Mariam by Huda Al-Marashi – An Iraqi American sixth grader juggling identity, faith, and family crisis must decide if she can play Mary in the school nativity without betraying who she is.
Ava by Victoria Dillon – In a near-future fight for reproductive freedom, a grieving biologist embraces radical “incubation” science—only to face the daughter who questions the choice that created her.
The Gravewood by Kelly Andrew – To survive scarcity and save the people she loves, a deaf girl bargains with a volatile vampire leader—until loyalty, obsession, and the forest’s darkness demand blood.
Just for the Cameras by Meghan Quinn – A brooding athlete and a zookeeper who can’t stand him fake nice for the press at the zoo—until the flirting stops feeling fake.
This Ain’t Our First Rodeo by Liara Tamani – A swoony, second-chance western romance where two Black teens navigate bulls, family pressure, and secrets that could cost them love—and land.
Few Blue Skies by Carolina Ixta – A heartbroken teen teams up with her ex to fight a corporation threatening their town, discovering that hope—and love—can still break through the smog.
Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett – In 1920s Montréal, a determined cat-rescue manager teams up with a grouchy (possibly apocalyptic) magician to save her shelter—and risks falling for the chaos he brings.
Rise, Girl Rise by Kah Yangni – Two trailblazing activists’ intertwined journeys become an uplifting anthem of girls and women lifting each other up to change the world.
The Halls of the Dead by S.M. Hallow – In necromancy-soaked Victorian London, a witch resurrects her executed lover—only to awaken something hungry, haunted, and dangerously hard to love.
Safari Murder Party by Rachel Moore – Office rivals on a corporate retreat must survive predators, billionaires, and each other when “team bonding” turns into a darkly funny, rom-com-tinged death game.
Tiny Little Earthquakes by Hays Blinckmann – Growing up amid addiction and family chaos, a razor-sharp girl learns that resilience isn’t staying unbroken—it’s rebuilding after every aftershock.
Coming Alive on the Ride by Michael Yang – A tech founder rides 40,000 miles across North America and discovers that the open road can reconnect you to who you were—and who you still want to be.
Judgy Bunny and the Terrible Beach by Scott Rothman and Linzie Hunter – A hilariously negative bunny declares the beach “THE WORST”…until kites, ice cream, and boogie boarding prove her very wrong.
Monster in the Moonlight by Annelise Ryan – When a brutal death sparks werewolf rumors in rural Wisconsin, cryptozoologist Morgan Carter must hunt the truth—and what’s truly stalking Bray Road.
A Slow and Secret Poison by Carmella Lowkis – At a decaying English manor, a young gardener falls for her enigmatic employer as curses, grief, and buried sins bloom into something deadly.
Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz – Orphan X races to protect a subway kidnapping victim while honoring her demand for no-kill justice—testing his limits between mercy and vengeance.
Awe! by Chana Stiefel and Susan Gal – A lyrical celebration of wonder invites kids to notice the world’s breathtaking moments—and feel the empowering rush of awe.
Beautiful Black Boy by Sophia Robinson and Ken Daley – A radiant, lyrical ode affirms Black boys’ joy, brilliance, and strength, building confidence from the inside out.
Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis – In this witty, subversive retelling, a clever girl outsmarts the ultimate trickster—turning the classic tale deliciously on its head.
Rhea’s Rodeo by Laekan Zea Kemp and Raissa Figueroa – A fierce, joy-filled celebration of Escaramuza Charra follows a determined rider learning that triumph is more than a trophy.
How Not to Make a Jelly Sandwich by Ross Burach – Five “simple” steps explode into glorious nonsense as one imaginative kid turns a basic sandwich into a riot of duck disguises and hamster training.
Clifford Dream Big by Norman Bridwell – Clifford and Emily Elizabeth remind readers that with love and support, even small beginnings can lead to the biggest dreams.