I wanted to share an update on what I read on my vacation. It was a reading and floating kind of vacation.
ALL THIS BELONGS TO ME by Ad Hudler - I have been a fan of Ad's since HOUSEHUSBAND. This book will be in stores in January, so I was reading an early reader copy. The setting is the Edison Museum in Fort Myers, Florida. The protagonist is Ellis, an older gentleman, who is a guide at the museum. His encounters with Geena, a woman who has left her family in a wealthy suburb of Colorado will change both of them. Ad's past books have been laugh-out loud funny. This one is funny, but more quietly funny. I enjoyed it.
CASE HISTORIES by Kate Atkinson - This is coming out in paperback in September. Four people including Joe Rivera, our designer, said this is one of the best books that they have read. They were not wrong. It's British and very very smart. The cases are interwoven and you keep reading to see what happens next. Brilliantly done. Fans of this title will love HALF-BROKEN THINGS by Morag Joss, which comes out later this month.
CHILL FACTOR by Sandra Brown - Beach means read Sandra and she did not disappoint this year. She set up the story well and threw in a number of great red herrings. Yes, there is romance...Sandra always has romance, and she does it well. Great second to last paragraph.
CREEPERS by David Morrell - Whoa. This is one great book. Takes place in an abandoned hotel in Asbury Park. Creepers are people who explore abandoned properties to learn more about them. Inside the hotel, the hunters become the hunted. Whoa. Scary does not do this justice. Interesting fact. The book is set up where the chapters take place hour by hour. There are eight of them. Morrell has plotted that the book can be read in eight hours. I read fast and bested that time. Absolutely loved it. We kick off a promotion for it next week.
HOSTILE MAKEOVER by Wendy Wax - She writes great funny books and this one is no exception. Light story about a woman in Atlanta who could inherit daddy's ad agency, if she could just get her act together. Woven in: romance, fashion and some funny stories about the protagonist's Jewish family. Completely had me smiling and laughing.
KISSING ADRIEN by Siri L. Mitchell - I had dinner with her in Denver and everyone at the table told me I needed to read her. Reading this book was such fun. It made me want to visit Paris. I craved cheese. I craved good wine. I wanted to cook. People told me I would want to eat after reading this book, and they were right!
LOVE AND OTHE IMPOSSIBLE PURSUITS by Ayelet Waldman - Annie Binkley said this one is a must-read and I can see why. Story revolved around a young woman who has given birth to a child who died shortly after she was born. At the same time she is stepmother to a little boy, who is both precocious and confused. The two of them grow up together in many ways. I spent most of the time despising Emilia, but the story was very well done. Will not be out til February 2006 so note on long-term calendars.
MAXIMUM RIDE by James Patterson - Cory, my 10-year old son, LOVED this. Sooo I had to read it. Great YA book that will be enjoyed by adults as well. There are flying children here, led by Max. Readers of Patterson's other books that also have flying children will enjoy this.
THE SCENT OF LILACS by Ann H. Gabhart - Suzie Cross told me I would love this. Vacation ended just as I started it. I am enjoying it and look forward to finishing it.
THE SKIN GODS by Richard Montanari - This book is coming out next Spring and I was reading a manuscript. I love the way he melded his love of noir films into the story. It's just brilliant.
SPEAK OF THE DEVIL by Richard Hawke - This will be out in Janaury 2006. Opens with a shooting at the Macy's Parade. The pace does not let down from there. Protagonist is Richard Hawke, a Manhattan PI who unravels a conspiracy. A debut from an author I want to read a lot more from.
THEM by Francine du Plessix Gray - I worked for Alexander Liberman for a while when I was at Conde Nast. I have not finished this one, but am enjoying reading more about the background on him and his wife. Think stylish New York.
