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October 30, 2013

20SomethingReads.com Newsletter October 30, 2013
Halloday Expectations
Join Random House Open House With Health, Wellness and Fitness Authors!
Want to Write for Us? We're Looking for More and More Contributors!
What's NEW on 20SomethingReads.com?
Young Adult Reviews
Adult Reviews
Halloday Expectations

Not only is this coming Thursday a day to throwback...or to be thirsty...it’s also Halloween! We’ve been planning for this “holiday” for months...pretty much since November 1st of last year. We know this is our second Halloween-themed newsletter, but we love it so much we couldn’t help ourselves. Let’s be real, here --- aren’t holidays just an excuse to overindulge? We like to think so. So, like a kid with a Trick-or-Treat bag full of Kit Kats, we’re going all in with this one. It’s safe to say, we’re not the only ones feeling the Halloween spirit (see what we did there?). 20Somethings are notoriously good at getting in on the fun --- and we’re not just talking about all the BOO-ze. From clever costumes to compulsive party-hopping, there are plenty of ways to celebrate. But while you’re willfully getting caught up in a web of excitement, it’s important to beware of the scariest part of holiday enthusiasm...expectations. Dun, dun, dun.

As 20Somethings, we’re prone to high hopes. Just last weekend, Nikki was psyched about seeing the new Cormac McCarthy movie The Counselor. For the whole week leading up to its theatrical release, she couldn’t stop talking about it (editorial note: couldn’t): its literary pedigree, its accomplished director and its all-star cast (cough cough...Fassbender). Suffice it to say, the movie itself was no match for her expectations (although she may not have been as disappointed as the two guys sitting next to her who couldn’t follow the plot and weren’t afraid to be vocal about it). Even the Fassbender-Pitt combo, in all its lady-pleasing glory, couldn’t redeem the convoluted script and tedious dialogue. It left us wondering whether the movie was at fault, or Nikki’s own inflated expectations of it were. It also left us wondering if Ender's Game, Catching Fire and The Book Thief will all be as good as we hope.

In some cases, it’s a combination of too-high expectations and disappointing realities. In other cases --- like any highly anticipated holiday --- our expectations sabotage our ability to enjoy ourselves in the moment. Case and point: New Year’s Eve, 2009. A young, starry-eyed Emily had held out all week for the perfect party, unwilling to be persuaded into committing to any one thing. So as all her friends were hailing cabs, sequined arms sparkling in the cold moonlight, heading off to their various events, Emily doubled up her socks and sadly resigned herself to watching the “Twilight Zone” marathon on Syfy (fun fact!: back then it was called Sci-Fi). Emily was too focused on finding the perfect party --- one with cool jams, cute boys and lots of PBR --- and lost out on the opportunity to actually have fun (unless Rod Serling is your idea of a good time, which is totally fair). Just to be clear, quiet nights on the couch can be just as fun as a night on the town, but not when your heart is set on partying and finding the ying (editorial note: [sic]) to your yang.

In conclusion, fellow sexy Heisenbergs and Miley Cyruses, you gotta get out of your head and into your dance pants if you want to have any fun at all this Hallow’s Eve. It’s good to get excited about all the holiday hoopla --- seeing friends, dancing your costume off, enjoying pumpkin-infused beverages --- but it’s important to keep yourself grounded. As Sylvia Plath said, "Lower your expectations and the rest is gravy" (maybe not a direct quote).

If you are a procrastinator and you’re still looking for last-minute costume ideas, be sure to check out our list of literary getups. They’re wicked good.

And here are the books we’re excited about (but not TOO excited about, get it?). THE CIRCLE by Dave Eggers tells story of Mae Holland, who gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she is offered a job working for hip, internet start-up, The Circle. She finds that the company whose whole platform is one on transparency may have more sinister intentions than she could have ever imagined. THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt is about a 13 year-old boy who survives a near fatal accident that kills his mother. When all seems to be falling apart around him, Theo fixates on to the one object that reminds him of his mother: a small painting of a goldfinch that ultimately pulls him into the underworld of art. Lastly, in honor of Alice Munro’s big win --- the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature --- we are showcasing her most recent short story collection, DEAR LIFE: Stories. We’re also celebrating great short fiction in general, with our Short Story Collection bookshelf. Including Miranda July, John Cheever and Haruki Murakami, there’s something in here for everyone.

Connect with us via social media on our Facebook page or Twitter handle! Happy Halloween!

--- Nicole Sherman (Nicole@bookreporter.com) and Emily Hoenig (Emily@bookreporter.com)

 

Join Random House Open House With Health, Wellness and Fitness Authors!

There is not an exercise/workout program that Nikki is not game to try. Her stories about Hot Yoga have had us reaching for water bottles to hydrate. The next class she's daring to try: Anti-Gravity Yoga. Who knew that such a thing even existed? So when she heard about Random House's Open House event on Friday, November 8th featuring the topics of happiness, wellness, health and fitness, she signed up ASAP. Co-sponsored by Huffington Post Books the day will include panels featuring Gretchen Rubin, Charles Duhigg, SHAPE magazine editor in chief Tara Kraft; Dinner: A Love Story blogger Jenny Rosenstratch; and more. Hosted by David Zinczenko, author of the 8-million copy EAT THIS, NOT THAT! series, Open House is billed as an event that will allow you to be your best self, and get back on the road to a balanced life.

Here's a look at what's happening!

- Conversations between authors and experts on a variety of healthy living topics
- Book signings by Gretchen Rubin, Kelly Corrigan, Charles Duhigg, Kelly McGonigal, and Michael Olajide
- Early look at David Zinczenko's upcoming publication, EAT IT TO BEAT IT! (as featured on “Good Morning America”)
- Panel discussion with Random House staff that will take you behind the books
- Flywheel spinning demonstration

And lots and lots of good eats....
- Breakfast by KIND
- Lunch by 'wichcraft, featuring a menu of sandwiches, seasonal sides and sweets
- Snack breaks by illy issimo, BluePrint, popchips and Sweet Loren's
- Cocktail Mixer with authors and publishers, featuring recipes from STORIED SIPS

For tickets and information, visit www.RandomHouseEvents.com/openhouse. If you are going, let Nikki know (Nicole@bookreporter.com) so you can meet up.

Want to Write for Us? We're Looking for More and More Contributors!
Are you obsessed with pop culture? Have you seen THE BOOK THIEF trailer four times? Do you lose sleep over Ben Affleck being cast as Batman in Man of Steel 2? Do you feel like you've been waiting your whole life to see Jonathan Rhys Meyers play Dracula? Are you counting down the days until the theatrical release of CATCHING FIRE?

If so, we want to hear from you. We are looking for ongoing contributors for book reviews and blog posts who would like to impart their wisdoms on life, love, books, TV, movies, pop culture and all the other stuff we 20Somethings just can't get enough of. Send a cover letter and writing samples to Nicole@bookreporter.com and Emily@bookreporter.com. Write for us enough and we'll add you to our Contributors page.

 

What's NEW on 20SomethingReads.com?

BLOG: Throwback Thursday: Oh Baby You, You Got What I Need
We all get a little out of our comfort zones in this #TBT.

BLOG: Throwback Thursday: Are YOU Afraid of the Dark?
In this #TBT, the staff thinks of the "scariest" books we've ever read.

BLOG: “It’s Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus!”: The Halloween Movies You Watched as a Kid (And Still Do, Admit It) by Amanda Assenza
Contributor Amanda shares some of the best Halloween movies from our childhoods.

BLOG: Join the A Team: Why You Should Give Pretty Little Liars a Chance by Shannon Powers
Intern Shannon tells us why 20Somethings would appreciate "Pretty Little Liars."

 

Young Adult Reviews
ACROSS A STAR-SWEPT SEA by Diana Peterfreund (Fantasy)
No one suspects that the mysterious spy Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo is her most dangerous mission ever. Reviewed by Quinn Colter.

THE EYE OF MINDS by James Dashner (Science Fiction)
From James Dashner, the author of the New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series, comes an all-new, edge-of-your seat adventure. THE EYE OF MINDS is the first book in The Mortality Doctrine, a series set in a world of hyperadvanced technology, cyberterrorists, and gaming beyond your wildest dreams...and your worst nightmares. Reviewed by Benjamin Boche.

JUST ONE YEAR by Gayle Forman (Love & Romance)
After spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, JUST ONE YEAR is Willem's story, picking up where JUST ONE DAY ended. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson's own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love and ultimately, redefining himself. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

TEARDROP by Lauren Kate (Fantasy)
Never, ever cry...Eureka Boudreaux's mother drilled that rule into her daughter years ago. But now her mother is gone, and everywhere Eureka goes he is there: Ander, the tall, pale blond boy who seems to know things he shouldn't, who tells Eureka she is in grave danger, who comes closer to making her cry than anyone has before. Reviewed by Amy Alessio.

Adult Reviews
BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT THE BOY by Helen Fielding (Fiction)
Back in the day --- 17 years ago, to be exact --- Helen Fielding and her thirtysomething, potty-mouthed, diary-keeping singleton practically invented Chick Lit. There was a sequel in 1999, then nothing. Now our desperate, ditzy heroine is back, still obsessing over her weight and still looking for love. Reviewed by Kathy Weissman.

CHRISTMAS BLISS by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
Christmas is coming, but Savannah antiques dealer Weezie Foley is doubly distracted: by her upcoming wedding to her longtime love, chef Daniel Stipanek, and also by the fact that her best friend and maid-of-honor, BeBe Loudermilk, is due to give birth any day --- and is still adamantly refusing to marry her live-in-love Harry. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

THE CIRCLE by Dave Eggers (Dystopian/Technothriller)
When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful Internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime --- even as life beyond work grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken. What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt (Fiction)
An explosion at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art kills Audrey Decker while she and her 13-year-old son, Theo, pay an afternoon visit. Theo survives, but before he stumbles to safety, a wounded elderly man encourages him to steal the Museum’s 1654 Carel Fabritius painting of a goldfinch and to deliver a gold ring to the Hobart and Blackwell antiques shop. Thus begins an 800-page adventure involving Vegas gamblers, underworld criminals, and Park Avenue privilege. Reviewed by Michael Magras.

THE HEAVENS RISE by Christopher Rice (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Deep in the swamps outside of New Orleans, Niquette Delongpre and her family uncover a well on their property that brings ancient things to the surface --- things that should have stayed buried. When Niquette is exposed to a small parasite, it triggers in her mysterious and dangerous powers. As she tries to come to grips with these new abilities and what they might mean for her future, she realizes that she is not alone. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

IDENTICAL by Scott Turow (Mystery)
State Senator Paul Giannis is a candidate for Mayor of Kindle County. His identical twin brother Cass is newly released from prison, 25 years after pleading guilty to the murder of his girlfriend, Dita Kronon. When Evon Miller, an ex-FBI agent who is the head of security for the Kronon family business, and private investigator Tim Brodie begin a re-investigation of Dita's death, a complex web of murder, sex and betrayal dramatically unfolds. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

THE LAST DARK: The Climax of the Entire Thomas Covenant Chronicles by Stephen R. Donaldson (Fantasy)
Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery have fought for what they love in the magical reality known only as "the Land." Now they face their final crisis. Reunited after their separate struggles, they discover in each other their true power --- and yet they cannot imagine how to stop the Worm of the World’s End from unmaking Time. Nevertheless, they must resist the ruin of all things, giving their last strength in the service of the world's continuance. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.

MENNONITE MEETS MR. RIGHT: A Memoir of Faith, Hope, and Love by Rhoda Janzen (Memoir)
At the end of her bestselling memoir, MENNONITE IN A LITTLE BLACK DRESS, Rhoda Janzen had reconnected with her family roots, though her future felt uncertain. When this overeducated professor starts dating the most unlikely of men --- a weight-liftin', church-goin', truck-drivin' rocker named Mitch --- she begins a surprising journey to faith and love. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

OUTLAW: A Robin Monarch Novel by Mark Sullivan (Thriller)
Former CIA operative and master thief Robin Monarch and his counterpart, a mysterious Chinese agent, embark upon a dangerous journey into the underbelly of Southeast Asia, a world of corrupt Vietnamese Army officers, fanatical pirates, Hong Kong triad leaders, and volatile mercenaries living around the red light districts of Thailand. As they get closer and closer, Monarch learns that his whole mission may not be what it seems. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

POLICE: A Harry Hole Novel by Jo Nesbø (Thriller)
For years, detective Harry Hole has been at the center of every major criminal investigation in Oslo. His dedication to his job and his brilliant insights have saved the lives of countless people. But now, with those he loves most facing terrible danger, Harry is not in a position to protect anyone. Least of all himself... Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

SILENT NIGHT: A Spenser Holiday Novel by Robert B. Parker with Helen Brann (Mystery)
Spenser is busy planning for his holiday dinner when an 11-year-old homeless boy shows up in need of help. The man who runs the unlicensed shelter that gives the boy refuge is being intimidated in an attempt to force them out of their neighborhood. Spenser is on the case in SILENT NIGHT, the book Robert B. Parker was working on at the time of his death. Reviewed by Tom Callahan and Joe Hartlaub.

THE SOUND AND THE FURRY: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn (Mystery)
When Chet and Bernie happen upon a prison work crew that includes Frenchie Boutette, an old criminal pal they sent up the river, getting a new case is the last thing they expect. But Frenchie, who comes from an old Louisiana family full of black sheep, needs help finding his one law-abiding relative: his brother Ralph, a reclusive inventor who has gone missing with his houseboat. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

SYCAMORE ROW by John Grisham (Legal Thriller)
Nearly 25 years after the publication of A TIME TO KILL, John Grisham returns to that famous courthouse in Clanton as Jake Brigance once again finds himself embroiled in a fiercely controversial trial --- a trial that will expose old racial tensions and force Ford County to confront its tortured history. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

THE WOLVES OF MIDWINTER: The Wolf Gift Chronicles by Anne Rice (Paranormal Thriller/Urban Fantasy)
In THE WOLF GIFT, the first of her strange and mythic imaginings of the world of wolfen powers, Anne Rice conjured up a daring new world set against the wild and beckoning California coast. Now in her new novel, Rice takes us once again to the rugged coastline of Northern California, to the grand mansion at Nideck Point, and further explores the unearthly education of her transformed Man Wolf. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

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