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October 11, 2013

Bookreporter.com Newsletter October 11, 2013
I’m Walking…Yes Indeed…I’m Walking….

Last night after moderating a panel on the East Side of NY, I walked over to the Javits Convention Center on the West Side to attend New York Comic Con. I calculated that that walk was 1.8 miles. A friend who sports a Fitbit and walked the same distance told me it was 5,000 steps. Since the pool has a carpet of leaves on top, I realize I need some new way to get exercise; for the moment, walking is going to be it. I did a lot of trekking around the city this week, instead of taking subways, and I really liked it. I realize I need to allow more time for this than jumping on mass transit all the time.

Until it gets too cold to keep this up, I am going to keep walking. The one bad thing about walking instead of taking the subway is that I am not reading. Well, let me correct that. I will admit I am one of those people who walks on the street reading my BlackBerry. And yes, I still use a BlackBerry, archaic as that may sound.

Of course, when I got to the Javits Center, I walked the length of it twice, adding a lot more miles. I stopped to watch humans being made up like zombies at "The Walking Dead" booth; I did not indulge. Around the show floor, I saw many people in full zombie makeup and wondered how they planned to go home on the subway looking like that. The show is back on AMC on Sunday night, and the convention floor had the prison setup as well as a car you could jump into and get your photo coming out the top. This show is all about fans being interactive. I watched dozens of grownups play Simon Says at the Intel booth with all the joy of four-year-olds. Very amusing. But I smiled…a lot.

I also stopped by the Ugly Dolls booth to visit with my friend Alita, who is Chief Brand Officer at the company. While her son and Cory are close friends, Alita and I seem to only see each other on convention show floors. In the spirit of Comic Con, Halloween and all things turquoise, I picked up Dracula Ice-Bat, which you can see above, for my office bookshelf!

One book that’s been talked about a lot at Comic Con is MISSION IN A BOTTLE. Can you run a successful (and huge) business and still call yourself “honest”? That’s what Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff, co-founders of Honest Tea, explain in their business book, which has been written in a graphic novel format. I had the pleasure of meeting Barry during a pre-conference event where he spoke about the decision to present this story as a graphic novel. We have a review by John Hogan, the Editorial Director of our GraphicNovelReporter.com site, who says, “MISSION IN A BOTTLE is breezy --- it’s a fast and completely enjoyable read --- but it’s also packed with some solid business potential for those looking to know how to go about building a successful business brand.” I took a look at their book trailer, and it’s really fun. We plan to do an interview with the authors in the weeks to come.

Congratulations to Alice Munro, who won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday! Munro is known for her many short-story collections, such as RUNAWAY, THE VIEW FROM CASTLE ROCK and TOO MUCH HAPPINESS, as well as her novel LIVES OF GIRLS AND WOMEN. Munro had this to say following the big announcement: “When I began writing there was a very small community of Canadian writers and little attention was paid by the world. Now Canadian writers are read, admired and respected around the globe. I’m so thrilled to be chosen as this year’s Nobel Prize for Literature recipient. I hope it fosters further interest in all Canadian writers. I also hope that this brings further recognition to the short story form."

In other book news, I AM MALALA: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb came out this week. Watching this segment on "The Daily Show," I was blown away by this young woman’s maturity and poise. She’s a joy to watch, and I look forward to reading the book.

This week, we have our review of RASPUTIN’S SHADOW by Raymond Khoury, which we’ve been featuring in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight. FBI Agent Sean Reilly returns to find himself teamed with Russian Federal Security Service agent Larisa Tchoumitcheva. Together, they have to discover why a Russian embassy attaché has apparently committed suicide and a retired Russian physics professor living in Queens has vanished, all of which leads to a small device that could change the world in a deadly way. Ray Palen has our review and sings the praises of Raymond Khoury, who “continues to remain one of the top novelists in the historical fiction genre, and RASPUTIN’S SHADOW is a worthy entry in his series.” Raymond offered much insight into his latest release in an interview conducted by Ray, which you can read here. This book is Raymond’s typical fast-paced read…and I found myself curious about reading more about Rasputin after finishing it.

It’s never too early to get into the holiday spirit…and Debbie Macomber will help get you there! Her latest novel is STARRY NIGHT, in which gossip columnist Carrie Slayton finds herself aching for more serious journalism. To show she has the chops, her boss gives her an assignment: find and interview the reclusive Finn Dalton, who disappeared after writing a bestseller about living in the wilderness. When she tracks him down during the holidays and gets to know him, she finds herself torn between the story of a lifetime and following her heart. Reviewer Amie Taylor calls the book “a romantic story that will pull at your heartstrings with its holiday theme and emphasis on love and finding that special someone.”

Sneak Peek Opportunity! When I was on vacation, I read an early copy of THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley and absolutely loved it! I could not wait to get it into our readers’ hands. So I am very happy to share that once again, we’re giving you an opportunity to jump in early and preview a book that hasn’t been released yet --- and comment on it --- in our Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book feature. In THE DEEPEST SECRET, Buckley delves into the darkness of suburbia in this story of a typical American neighborhood. Eve Lattimore would do anything to protect her son, Tyler, who has a rare disease that makes him fatally sensitive to any UV light. When a terrible accident occurs, Eve discovers just how far she will go to save him, and that she’s not the only one on the block with something to hide.

The book doesn’t release until February 4th, but we have 25 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to preview it and share their comments on it by December 5th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET. For our Sneak Peek program, your commitment to participate is critical, so please only enter this contest if you truly will have time to read THE DEEPEST SECRET and give us your feedback before our December 5th deadline. We take these project deadlines seriously. If not, don’t worry; we will have more opportunities like this in the future.

Our newest Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight title is THE TULIP EATERS by Antoinette van Heugten. Nora de Jong returns from work one day to a nightmare: her mother murdered in her home and her infant daughter missing. Pushing through her grief and confusion, Nora begins the search for her baby. When she finds a mysterious box in her parents’ attic with clues about her family’s troubled history during World War II, she learns that the killer may not have been a stranger and that the reasons for her daughter’s disappearance have deeper roots than she could have imagined. We’re giving 25 readers the opportunity to read the book, which releases on October 29th, and comment on it. It is interesting to me that no matter how much I read about WWII, there is always something new for me to learn about, like the role of tulips here. To enter for your chance to win, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET.

Returning to our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight is John Lutz, whose new bone-chilling thriller is TWIST, the latest entry in his series featuring retired cop Frank Quinn. In this installment, Quinn’s niece complains to him that she’s being stalked. Quinn recognizes that this is the work of a killer on the loose. Will the trap Quinn plans to set prove too dangerous for even a veteran like him to control? We have 25 copies of the book, which is now in stores, for those who would to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET.

Our contest for FALLEN WOMEN by Sandra Dallas, which we’re featuring in our Historical Fiction Author Spotlight, is still open. When wealthy socialite Beret Osmundsen finds out that her sister has been murdered, she not only learns of her sister’s double life, but also of the gritty underworld beneath Denver’s Gilded Age façade. I read this book, and as I said last week, I found myself enjoying not only the story but also the period details. I love Denver, so it was lots of fun to read more of its history in this fictional format. We have 35 copies of the book, which releases on October 22nd, to give away to readers who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 17th at noon ET.

On Tuesday, October 15th, we kick off our first-ever Fall Showcase contest! On select days this month, we’ll be giving you a chance to win copies of some of the books people will be talking about in the weeks to come. Some days there will be up to five different books given away. As always, when we do contests like this, we’ll be sending a special newsletter showcasing the featured titles. For this, we will use the same list of subscribers who are signed up for our Fall Preview newsletters, so sign up here to know when these contests go live. With so many great books coming out this fall, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss!

For contest #1, we’ll be giving away HELP FOR THE HAUNTED by John Searles, THE HOUSE GIRL by Tara Conklin, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY by Joshilyn Jackson, THE TILTED WORLD by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly, and THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD by Kristina Riggle. Click here to see all our featured Fall Showcase titles.

Malcolm Gladwell’s knack for observation and on-point, reader-friendly analysis returns in DAVID AND GOLIATH: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants. Here, Gladwell turns to literature, history, psychology, politics, and other fields to reveal the hidden laws that govern the relationship between the underdog and the ruler, whatever forms they may take. Jane Krebs has this to say in her review: [Gladwell’s] perspective --- sometimes humorous, sometimes quietly serious --- challenges us to be more critical and observant in our own lives.” I had the pleasure of seeing Gladwell present about this book back at the ABA’s Winter Institute in February. His observations on how even small businesses can make themselves Goliaths are very interesting. I took a lot away from his presentation and look forward to reading the book.

DALLAS 1963 by Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis returns to the fateful day of JFK’s assassination, investigating the reasons that the President did not go to Dallas without warning against the trip. On a journey through the White House to the secrets of America’s Camelot to the simmering hatred brewing in the city in the months leading up to the assassination, the book attempts to answer just why the combination of Dallas and JFK proved to be so disastrous. Reviewer Barbara Bamberger Scott says, “It has been 50 years since those fateful events in Dallas, and much has changed. Going back in memory through objective eyes may help us see those changes more clearly and be grateful.” My husband finished reading this a few weeks ago and appreciated a chance to look at this story with the objective lens that one can have looking back at history.

A couple of weeks ago, I raved about Justin Kramon’s THE PRESERVATIONIST, a great psychological thriller. It tells the story of Sam Blount, a man on the brink of a mid-life crisis whose insecurities are soothed by his relationship with Julia, a young student with worries of her own. Told in alternating points of view, THE PRESERVATIONIST is the riveting tale of Julia and Sam's relationship, which begins to unravel as jealousy surfaces, the threat of violence approaches, and Julia becomes less and less sure whom she can trust. The book is now in stores, and we have our review courtesy of Norah Piehl, who says, “Putting a vulnerable, somewhat unstable character like Julia at the center of a triangle that includes two potentially unhinged men is a great recipe for suspense.” Over on ReadingGroupGuides.com, we’re giving 150 groups the chance to win a copy of THE PRESERVATIONIST, along with an opportunity for Justin to personally visit their book club meeting. Click here for all the details.

Also in stores now is LEAVING HAVEN by Kathleen McCleary, which we featured in a Sneak Peek over the summer. After suffering multiple miscarriages since the birth of her daughter 10 years ago, Georgia longs for another baby. When she finally finds herself pregnant, she is overjoyed but begins to question her desire for the child when she makes a startling discovery. Meanwhile, Georgia’s best friend, Alice, happily married with a teenage daughter, finds her life spinning out of control due to her attraction to a man she never thought she’d want. The novel follows these two women as they confront the difficult choices before them. According to reviewer Sarah Rachel Egelman, “A unique twist on infidelity plots, LEAVING HAVEN is a compelling look at just how complicated friendships, marriage and family can be, and how happiness and contentment sometimes require sacrifice and work.” It would be a great book club title.

This week, I’m happy to announce my three latest Bookreporter.com Bets On picks: THE ROSIE PROJECT by Graeme Simsion and LONGBOURN by Jo Baker (two more of my summer vacation reads), along with ONCE WE WERE BROTHERS by Ronald H. Balson. Click on the titles to see why I'm betting you'll love these books. Right now, the publisher of ONCE WE WERE BROTHERS is giving readers the opportunity to win a “Perfect Night In” Gift Basket, which includes a copy of ONCE WE WERE BROTHERS and Martin Fletcher's JACOB’S OATH, along with a cozy blanket, sounds of the '40s and herbal tea. Click here for all the details; your entries must be received by November 19th at 11:59pm ET.

We’ve posted advance readers' comments for four books we recently gave away as part of our Author Spotlights. Click on the titles to see what our contest winners had to say about TAMARACK COUNTY by William Kent Krueger, THE AVIATOR’S WIFE by Melanie Benjamin, A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS by Deanna Raybourn and THE SWEETEST HALLELUJAH by Elaine Hussey.

How many books do you typically read each month? Be sure to answer this latest poll question; we always love hearing what you have to say! Those of you who read this newsletter regularly probably know that I’d be checking off “More than 10.”

Our current Word of Mouth contest continues for another week. Let us know what you’ve been reading, and you’ll have the opportunity to win the aforementioned STARRY NIGHT by Debbie Macomber, along with CHRISTMAS BLISS by Mary Kay Andrews and IDENTICAL by Scott Turow. All you have to do is fill out the form found on the Word of Mouth page by Friday, October 18th at noon ET.

I am looking forward to a three-day weekend. While most offices in publishing are not closed for Columbus Day, we are, as I think the staff needs a short break between Labor Day and Thanksgiving to re-charge. We were going to go away for a couple of days, but Cory is coming home for the weekend as Son 2B will be home for the weekend as well, thus those plans were thwarted. Cory and his suitemates met up with me after they hit NYCC last night, and we all had pizza before driving them back to school. Nice to be able to do that!

Plans for the weekend: There are plants to be moved, and my “to be read” shelves are spilling over, so I need time to get those reorganized, as well as my yarn stash. I also need to remember what I wear this time of year since clearly tank tops, bright colors and sandals no longer make the cut. When I worked at a fashion magazine, we encouraged readers to take photos of their wardrobes to remember what went with what. I feel like I should start doing this since I am wasting time trying to remember what to wear when it’s 60 degrees out.

With the temperatures dropping, I suggested to my husband that we both attend the Miami Book Fair in November for the Street Fair and author panels the weekend before Thanksgiving. Calendars are being checked. You check yours too as we will have much more about this fabulous event in the weeks to come! Scott Turow, Pat Conroy, Mitch Albom, Amy Tan and Cassandra King are among the author guests listed on the Miami Book Fair’s Facebook page.

Oh, and my update on Sunday night television. "Homeland" this season needs much better pacing. I am two episodes in and feel like the storyline that has unfolded so far could have been done in about 20 minutes. I loathe when a program that I enjoy takes a turn like this. Same thing with the last season of "Dexter." There were a few bright light moments in the second-to-last and third-to-last episodes, but the finale was a snore. A reader friend is raving about "Scandal." I may need to check that out. "Masters of Sex" is provocative but fun Sunday night viewing.

Here’s to hailing Columbus who sailed the ocean blue in 1492! Read on…and have a great week.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

Bookreporter.com Talks to Raymond Khoury, Author of RASPUTIN’S SHADOW

Since completing work on the BBC hit show "Spooks” and the Emmy Award-winning BBC series "Waking the Dead," Raymond Khoury, author of the international bestseller THE LAST TEMPLAR, is once again concentrating on writing novels. Lucky for us readers, his latest, RASPUTIN’S SHADOW, is now in stores. In it, we revisit FBI Agent Sean Reilly --- last seen in THE DEVIL’S ELIXIR --- who must connect the apparent suicide of a Russian embassy attaché and the disappearance of a retired Russian physics professor living in Queens to a small device that could change the world in a deadly way before it’s too late.

The real-life Rasputin’s shadow looms large over the story, and in this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Ray Palen, Khoury discusses what makes the notorious Russian mystic so fascinating, even to a modern audience. He also talks about why he likes rewriting history in a way that it could’ve happened, who is responsible when deadly weapons get into the wrong hands, why he’s wary of another film or television adaption of his literary work, and, of course, what's next for Sean Reilly.

RASPUTIN'S SHADOW by Raymond Khoury (Thriller)
FBI Agent Sean Reilly finds himself teamed with Russian Federal Security Service agent Larisa Tchoumitcheva to discover why a Russian embassy attaché has apparently committed suicide and a retired Russian physics professor living in Queens has vanished, all of which leads to a small device that could change the world in a deadly way. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
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Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read Raymond Khoury’s bio.
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Click here to visit Raymond Khoury’s official website.
-Connect with Raymond Khoury on
Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to see the 50 winners who were selected to read and comment on the book.
-Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.

Click here to read our interview.
Now in Stores: STARRY NIGHT by Debbie Macomber

STARRY NIGHT: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
When reporter Carrie Slayton has a chance to take her career to a new level by securing an interview with reclusive survivalist author Finn Dalton in the Alaskan wilderness, she jumps at the chance, never dreaming that she may have to choose between a significant career move and a relationship with the love of her life. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit Debbie Macomber's official website.

Click here to read a review.
Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book --- Our Latest Featured Title: THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley
At Bookreporter.com, we have the opportunity to read many great books well in advance of their release dates. With our Sneak Peek Feature and Contest, we offer our readers the chance to preview select early picks --- and share feedback on them. We know that readers champion books that they love, and we want you to be part of the excitement of upcoming releases as early as possible.

Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley, an intimate family drama and a gripping page-turner that explores the profound power of the truths we’re scared to face. The book doesn’t release until February 4th, but we have 25 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to preview it and share their comments on it by December 5th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET.

For our Sneak Peek program, your commitment to participate is critical, so please only enter this contest if you truly will have time to read THE DEEPEST SECRET and give us your feedback before our December 5th deadline. We take these project deadlines seriously. If not, don’t worry; we will have more opportunities like this in the future.

THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley (Psychological Suspense)
Eve Lattimore’s family is like every other on their suburban street, with one exception. Her son Tyler has a rare medical condition that makes him fatally sensitive to light, which means heavy curtains and deadlocked doors protect him during the day and he can never leave the house except at night. For Eve, only constant vigilance stands between an increasingly restless teenage son and the dangers of the outside world.

Until the night the unthinkable happens. When tragedy strikes, it becomes clear that this family is not the only one on the quiet cul-de-sac that is more complicated than it appears. And as Eve is forced to shield her family from harm, there are some crises she cannot control --- and some secrets that not even love can conceal.

Deeply moving and stunningly suspenseful, THE DEEPEST SECRET is a novel of rare power --- a story about hope and forgiveness, about the terrifying ways our lives can spin out of control and the unexpected sacrifices that may save us.

-Click here to read Carla Buckley's bio.
-Click here to visit Carla Buckley's official website.
-Connect with Carla Buckley on Facebook and Twitter.

 
Click here to read more in our Sneak Peek Feature and enter the contest.
New Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: THE TULIP EATERS by Antoinette van Heugten

We have 25 copies of THE TULIP EATERS by Antoinette van Heugten, which releases on October 29th, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET.

THE TULIP EATERS by Antoinette van Heugten (Fiction)
It's the stuff of nightmares: Nora de Jong returns home from work one ordinary day to find her mother has been murdered. Her infant daughter is missing. And the only clue is the body of an unknown man on the living-room floor, clutching a Luger in his cold, dead hand.

Frantic to find Rose, Nora puts aside her grief and frustration to start her own search. But the contents of a locked metal box she finds in her parents' attic leave her with as many questions as answers --- and suggest the killer was not a stranger. Saving her daughter means delving deeper into her family's darkest history, leading Nora half a world away to Amsterdam, where her own unsettled past and memories of painful heartbreak rush back to haunt her.

As Nora feverishly pieces together the truth from an old family diary, she's drawn back to a city under Nazi occupation, where her mother's alliances may have long ago sealed her own --- and Rose's --- fate.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Antoinette van Heugten's bio.
-Click here to visit Antoinette van Heugten's official website.
-Connect with Antoinette van Heugten on Facebook and Twitter.

Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
New Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest: TWIST by John Lutz
We have 25 copies of TWIST: A Frank Quinn Novel by John Lutz, which is now in stores, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET.

TWIST: A Frank Quinn Novel by John Lutz (Thriller)
New York Times bestselling author John Lutz --- recently hailed as a living legend --- brings back his popular homicide detective Frank Quinn in a gritty, fast-paced serial killer thriller.

Frank Quinn is a decorated ex-cop and a former homicide detective specializing in tracking serial killers. Now his niece, Carlie Hobbs, needs help. Someone is stalking her, and the NYPD can't stop him. A blonde, blue-eyed beauty, Carlie fits the victim type of the killer who's been terrorizing women --- leaving them bound, gagged, and tortured with surgical precision. To win against the most personal adversary of his career, he’ll have to set the perfect trap...with the perfect bait.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read John Lutz's bio.
-Click here to visit John Lutz's official website.

-Connect with John Lutz on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
Historical Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: FALLEN WOMEN by Sandra Dallas
We have 35 copies of FALLEN WOMEN by Sandra Dallas, which releases on October 22nd, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 17th at noon ET.

FALLEN WOMEN by Sandra Dallas (Historical Fiction)
It is the spring of 1885 and wealthy New York socialite Beret Osmundsen has been estranged from her younger sister, Lillie, for a year when she gets word from her aunt and uncle that Lillie has died suddenly in Denver. What they do not tell her is that Lillie had become a prostitute and was brutally murdered in the brothel where she had been living. When Beret discovers the sordid truth of Lillie’s death, she makes her way to Denver, determined to find her sister’s murderer. Detective Mick McCauley may not want her involved in the case, but Beret is determined, and the investigation soon takes her from the dangerous, seedy underworld of Denver’s tenderloin to the highest levels of Denver society. Along the way, Beret not only learns the depths of Lillie’s depravity, but also exposes the sinister side of Gilded Age ambition in the process.

-Click here
to read more about the book.
-Click here
to read an excerpt.
-Click here
to read Sandra Dallas's bio.
-Click here
to visit Sandra Dallas's official website.
-Click here
to connect with Sandra Dallas on Facebook.

Click here to read more in our Historical Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
Announcing Bookreporter.com’s Fall Showcase Contests and Feature
Fall is typically a time when some of the biggest books of the year are published, in anticipation of holiday gift giving. In Bookreporter.com's new Fall Showcase feature, we are happy to bring you some of the titles that people will be talking about in the weeks to come.

On select days in October, we’ll be offering contests where you can win copies of these books. Some days there will be up to five different books given away. As always, when we do special contests like this, we’ll be sending a special newsletter showcasing the featured titles. For this, we will use the same list of subscribers who are signed up for our Fall Preview newsletters, so sign up here to know when these contests go live. With so many great books coming out this fall, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss!

Our first contest kicks off on Tuesday, October 15th at noon ET. Our prize books will be HELP FOR THE HAUNTED by John Searles, THE HOUSE GIRL by Tara Conklin, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY by Joshilyn Jackson, THE TILTED WORLD by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly, and THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD by Kristina Riggle.
 
Click here to read all the contest details and see our featured titles.
Now in Stores: DAVID AND GOLIATH by Malcolm Gladwell

DAVID AND GOLIATH: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell (Psychology)
In DAVID AND GOLIATH, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages. He offers a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, cope with a disability, lose a parent, attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.

-Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: SOLO by William Boyd and IAN FLEMING by Andrew Lycett

SOLO: A James Bond Novel by William Boyd (Historical Thriller/Adventure)
It's 1969 and, having just celebrated his 45th birthday, James Bond --- British special agent 007 --- is summoned to headquarters to receive an unusual assignment. Zanzarim, a troubled West African nation, is being ravaged by a bitter civil war, and M directs Bond to quash the rebels threatening the established regime. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.

IAN FLEMING by Andrew Lycett (Biography)
In this full-length biography, Andrew Lycett tells the story of the James Bond creator Ian Fleming's life, proving that it was just as dramatic as that of his fictional creation. With direct access to Fleming’s family and friends, Lycett goes behind the complicated façade of this enigmatic and remarkable man who brought Agent 007 to life.
Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.

Now in Stores: DALLAS 1963 by Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis

DALLAS 1963 by Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis (History)
Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis explore the swirling forces that led many people to warn President Kennedy to avoid Dallas on his fateful trip to Texas. They lead us through intimate glimpses of the Kennedy family and the machinations of the Kennedy White House, to the obsessed men in Dallas who concocted the climate of hatred that led many to blame the city for the president's death. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

Click here to read a review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: THE ROSIE PROJECT, LONGBOURN and ONCE WE WERE BROTHERS
THE ROSIE PROJECT by Graeme Simsion (Romance/Humor)
I had heard a lot about Graeme Simsion’s THE ROSIE PROJECT, and reading it I see why. It’s the kind of book that makes you smile --- and laugh --- as you read it, and it’s also wickedly clever.

In it, Don Tillman is a socially awkward professor of genetics who sees all of life through a scientific lens. He has not had success in dating, so he decides to attack this the way he does everything else in life: with a plan. He crafts a 16-page questionnaire in a quest to find the perfect mate. While I know this is ill-conceived, somehow the fact that Don is approaching the issue this way is both charming and humorous. The first women to answer it fail, but Don plunges on. And then he meets Rosie, who does not pass the questionnaire, but instead brings Don a project he can help her with. She wants to find her biological father, and who but a geneticist can help with that? So the "Wife Project" that Don calls his questionnaire becomes the "Father Project" to help Rosie. And well, you can figure out where things go from there. Complete comedy!

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read an interview with Graeme Simsion.


LONGBOURN by Jo Baker (Historical Romance)
Back in May at BookExpo America, I heard Jo Baker present LONGBOURN at a breakfast. She captivated me as she talked about the staff who worked at Longbourn, the house made famous in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Her characters are not the people who wore the elegant clothes and enjoyed the fabulous meals, but rather the ones who spent their days making the soap to use to clean the clothes and then wash them by hand.

As the cover line says, this is an “irresistibly imagined downstairs answer to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.” The protagonist, Sarah, is an orphan who slaves away for the family, but dreams of being somewhere else. She falls for a footman who begins work at the house, a man who clearly has a troubled past. And her story weaves into that of the Bennet household, making the novel irresistible.

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read an interview with Jo Baker.


ONCE WE WERE BROTHERS by Ronald H. Balson (Legal Thriller)
Elliot Rosenzweig is a respected civic leader and wealthy philanthropist in Chicago. One evening at the opera, he is accused of being a former Nazi SS officer named Otto Piatek, the Butcher of Zamosc. Although the charges are denounced as preposterous, his accuser, Ben Solomon, stands behind them. Solomon recognizes Rosenzweig as the child who was abandoned by his family and raised by Solomon's own family, only to betray them during the Nazi occupation. But has Solomon accused the right man? He finds an eager young attorney, Catherine Lockhart, and encourages her to help him bring Rosenzweig to justice.

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.

 
Click here to see all the books we're betting you'll love.
Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight: HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE by Emma Chapman
HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE by Emma Chapman (Psychological Thriller)
Marta and Hector have been married for a long time. Through the good and bad; through raising a son and sending him off to life after university. So long, in fact, that Marta finds it difficult to remember her life before Hector. He has always taken care of her, and she has always done everything she can to be a good wife --- as advised by a dog-eared manual given to her by Hector’s aloof mother on their wedding day.

But now, something is changing. Small things seem off. A flash of movement in the corner of her eye, elapsed moments that she can’t recall. Visions of a blonde girl in the darkness that only Marta can see. Perhaps she is starting to remember --- or perhaps her mind is playing tricks on her. As Marta’s visions persist and her reality grows more disjointed, it’s unclear if the danger lies in the world around her, or in Marta herself. The girl is growing more real every day, and she wants something.

HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE releases on October 15th.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit the book’s Facebook page.
-Click here to read Emma Chapman’s bio.
-Click here to connect with Emma Chapman on Twitter.
-Click here to see the 35 winners selected to read and comment on the book.

 
Click here to read more in our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
More Reviews This Week

STORM FRONT: A Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford (Thriller)
In Israel, a man clutching a backpack searches desperately for a boat. In Minnesota, Virgil Flowers gets a message from Lucas Davenport: You’re about to get a visitor. It’s an Israeli cop, and she’s tailing a man who’s smuggled out an extraordinary relic --- a copper scroll revealing startling details about the man known as King Solomon. As it turns out, there are very bad men chasing the relic, and they don’t care who’s in the way or what they have to do to get it. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

THE DOUBLE by George Pelecanos (Thriller)
The job seems simple enough: retrieve the valuable painting "The Double" Grace Kinkaid's ex-boyfriend stole from her. But Grace wants Spero Lucas to find the man who humiliated her --- a violent career criminal with a small gang of brutal thugs at his beck and call. In the midst of a steamy, passionate love affair that he knows can't last, Lucas is forced to decide what kind of man he is --- and how far he'll go to get what he wants. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

INHERIT THE DEAD edited by Jonathan Santlofer (Hard-boiled Mystery)
Pericles “Perry” Christo has been struggling since he lost his badge, and his marriage, in a notorious corruption scandal. So he jumps at the chance to work what seems to be a straightforward (and lucrative) case. Socialite Julia Drusilla is looking for her daughter, Angelina, who is about to become a very wealthy young woman. But as Christo digs deeper, he discovers there’s much more to the lovely “Angel” than meets the eye. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

PRACTICE TO DECEIVE by Ann Rule (True Crime)
Ann Rule unravels a shattering case of Christmastime murder off the coast of Washington State. It’s a case with enough drama, greed, sex and scandal to be called “The Real Housewives of Whidbey Island,” but this was not reality television. This was murder: pure, cruel, ugly and senseless. And someone had to pay the price. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

THE PRESERVATIONIST by Justin Kramon (Psychological Thriller)
To Sam Blount, meeting Julia is the best thing that has ever happened to him. Working at the local college, he’d been feeling troubled about his approaching 40th birthday, but being with Julia makes him feel young and hopeful. Their relationship is tested by a shy young man with a secret, Marcus Broley, who is also infatuated with Julia. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.

LEAVING HAVEN by Kathleen McCleary (Fiction)
Georgia longs for a baby, but she has had miscarriage after miscarriage since her daughter was born more than a decade ago. Through a miraculous egg donation, Georgia is thrilled to find herself pregnant --- until she makes a startling discovery that changes her mind about how much she really wants the baby. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

THIS HOUSE IS HAUNTED by John Boyne (Gothic Horror)
Eliza Caine’s life takes a drastic turn when her father, her only family, dies from a sudden illness. Trying to right herself, and find an escape from her sadness, she takes a job as a governess far from her home in London. Leaving everything she’s ever known, Eliza stumbles into a new life and soon finds herself questioning everything from her faith to her sanity. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.

LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND by Paulette Jiles (Dystopian/Adventure)
In the coming centuries, the world's population has exploded and covered the earth with cities, animals are nearly all gone, and drought has taken over so that cloudy water is issued by the quart. It is an unwelcoming world for an orphan like Nadia Stepan, who grows up dreaming of the vacation spot called Lighthouse Island, in a place called the Pacific Northwest. She becomes obsessed with it and is determined to somehow find her way there. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

THE ALLIGATOR MAN by James Sheehan (Legal Thriller)
Kevin Wylie's crooked boss wants to run him out of town, and Kevin's long-time girlfriend is ready to take a hike. He decides that now is the time to leave Miami, visit his father, who he hasn't seen in 28 years, and get some answers. Heading back to his hometown, he doesn't realize that he and his dad will become embroiled in a murder case involving one of the richest and most hated corporate criminals in America. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE SECRET LIVES OF MARRIED WOMEN by Elissa Wald (Crime Noir)
Two identical twin sisters --- one a sexually repressed defense attorney, the other a former free spirit now living a respectable life in the suburbs --- are about to face their deepest fears in this first novel in a decade from Elissa Wald, who has written previously about the world of S&M. Reviewed by Tom Callahan.

MISSION IN A BOTTLE: The Honest Guide to Doing Business Differently --- and Succeeding written by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff, illustrated by Sungyoon Choi (Graphic Novel)
Can you run a successful (and huge) business and still call yourself “honest”? That’s what Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff, co-founders of Honest Tea, explain in the graphic novel business book MISSION IN A BOTTLE. Reviewed by John Hogan.

Contests Running on Other Sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com

We have a number of contests currently running on our other sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com. Please take a look at them below, and enter for your chance to win some fabulous books!

ReadingGroupGuides.com

THE PRESERVATIONIST by Justin Kramon
We are celebrating the October 10th release of THE PRESERVATIONIST --- a riveting psychological thriller about three people whose dark pasts are beginning to catch up with them --- with a special contest that will give 150 groups the opportunity to win one copy of the book and for the author, Justin Kramon, to personally visit their book club meeting. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, November 6th at noon ET.

STRINGS ATTACHED: One Tough Teacher and the Gift of Great Expectations by Joanne Lipman and Melanie Kupchynsky
We are celebrating the release of STRINGS ATTACHED: One Tough Teacher and the Gift of Great Expectations by Joanne Lipman and Melanie Kupchynsky --- which was launched by a New York Times Op-Ed piece that went viral about a remarkable teacher’s legacy --- with a special contest. 50 readers will have the opportunity to win a copy of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, November 6th at noon ET. And, in the spirit of the book’s theme, we would like you to tell us about a favorite teacher of yours who had a major impact on you. Once the contest is over, we plan to share your comments on the site!

"What Are You Reading?" Monthly Contest Feature

Let us know what your group is reading in October, and you will be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! Our latest prize book is THE OBITUARY WRITER by Ann Hood, a sophisticated and suspenseful novel about the poignant lives of two women living in different eras. We have 12 copies of the book, which is now available in paperback, to give away to three groups. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, November 6th at noon ET.

Teenreads.com

Book O'Lantern 2013
We are celebrating the season of ghouls and ghosts with our Third Annual Book O'Lantern Contest! Between now and Thursday, October 31st, teens can enter to win a bag perfect for trick-or-treating, filled with a few special sweet treats, plus some spooky reads that will help make the scariest season of them all last well beyond Halloween.


Kidsreads.com


THE LAST PRESENT by Wendy Mass
When Connor's little sister, Grace, falls into a coma, he finds out it's his task to discover what happened to her and try to fix it --- all without running into an alternate version of himself! We are celebrating the release of THE LAST PRESENT, the latest entry in Wendy Mass's Willow Falls series, with a special contest that will give 15 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book. The deadline for entries is Thursday, October 31st at noon ET.

SAMMY KEYES AND THE KILLER CRUISE
by Wendelin Van Draanen

Sammy Keyes knew that getting to know her new dad on a cruise would be a little uncomfortable. But when an heiress disappears from the ship, it turns out everyone is in for a rocky ride. We are celebrating the release of SAMMY KEYES AND THE KILLER CRUISE, Wendelin Van Draanen’s penultimate Sammy Keyes mystery, with a special contest that will give five readers the opportunity to win a SIGNED copy of the book. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, October 23rd at noon ET.

JACK STRONG TAKES A STAND
by Tommy Greenwald

Jack Strong is overworked and stages a sit-in on his couch, refusing to get up until his parents let him quit some of the extracurriculars. We are celebrating the release of JACK STRONG TAKES A STAND by Tommy Greenwald with a special contest that will give 15 readers the opportunity to win a SIGNED copy of this tale of protest. The deadline for entries is Monday, October 21st at noon ET.


FaithfulReader.com

THE SECRET KEEPER: Home to Hickory Hollow, Book 4
by Beverly Lewis

We are celebrating the release of THE SECRET KEEPER with a special contest that will give 30 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this fourth installment in Beverly Lewis's Home to Hickory Hollow series. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, October 16th at noon ET.

THE PRAYER BOX
by Lisa Wingate

We are celebrating the release of THE PRAYER BOX with a special contest that will give five readers the opportunity to win a copy of Lisa Wingate's latest book. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, October 16th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com’s Monthly Contest

In our latest monthly contest, 30 readers will receive a copy of REBELLIOUS HEART by Jody Hedlund, a star-crossed love story about two people who find themselves bound together in what quickly becomes a very dangerous fight for justice. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, October 16th at noon ET.

As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.

Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the Write to Us page. If you would like to reach me, please write Carol@bookreporter.com. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.

Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: www.20SomethingReads.com, www.Teenreads.com, www.Kidsreads.com, www.ReadingGroupGuides.com, www.GraphicNovelReporter.com, www.FaithfulReader.com and www.AuthorsOnTheWeb.com.

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