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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
October 7, 2016 |
Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com
Reviews, Features, Bookreporter.com Bets On, Upcoming Bets On
Word of Mouth, Sounding Off on Audio
Coming Soon, New in Paperback, On Sale This Week, Carol's 2016 Reads
Contests, Books on Screen, Read This Newsletter Online
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A Whirlwind of Author Events!
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B-U-S-Y week! Last Friday night, my husband and I were at the keynote kickoff event for the Morristown Festival of Books where Sebastian Junger was the speaker. I have seen Sebastian speak many times over the years, but that evening discussing TRIBE was truly special. At its heart, the book talks about the power of people coming together and being there for each other. Soldiers who are in combat have each other’s backs, no matter what their political and social habits are beyond the battlefield. There is a comradeship that is lacking when they return, which is jolting. He said the book could have been called "Community," but it would not have had the same resonance. He deftly handled a wide range of audience questions.
Sebastian hit on something that I have been feeling. He said that we need to stop the contempt in this country that is existing on all levels --- media, politicians, social media and just in conversation. It’s really toxic. He got a loud round of applause on that comment. It’s something we all can work on. There were more than 1,200 people in the audience, and there was a standing ovation at the close. And the following day. those who had been there still were talking about it! We have our write-up about the rest of the festival here.
I spent yesterday at New York Comic Con, which was incredibly fun. I love seeing how this show has grown over the years; it used to be in one part of the Javits Convention Center and now spreads to a number of locations throughout the city. The cosplay characters were out in force, and I marveled again at the depths of creativity. I caught a few panels, including one where I got a look at some upcoming Amazon Prime programming, and closed the day with a panel about Women in Comics, moderated by Heidi MacDonald from The Beat, where Raina Telgemeier, who currently has five books on the New York Times graphic novel bestseller list (a list that had been dominated at the start by The Walking Dead), was a panelist. There was a terrific industry event hosted by ICV2. My favorite speaker there was Vivek J. Tiwary, who talked about the genius of Brian Epstein marketing The Beatles, which he discusses in his book, THE FIFTH BEATLE. I had not thought about the way The Beatles were marketed; lots of thoughts are ruminating about marketing today.
Leading up to Tuesday’s publication of SMALL GREAT THINGS, we’re featuring Jodi Picoult’s latest novel, which is one of my favorite books of 2016, in our New Release Spotlight. During her shift, Ruth Jefferson, an African-American labor and delivery nurse, begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told minutes later that the baby’s parents are white supremacists and don’t want her going anywhere near their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. What happens next leads to Ruth being accused of a serious crime for which she will have to stand trial. Picoult is known for taking on challenging topics and exploring them with empathy and candor. Here she offers a thought-provoking examination of contemporary forms of racism and privilege, and their perils. We will have our review of this Bookreporter.com Bets On title next week.
Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight for Jade Chang and her charming debut novel, THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD, wraps up with our review and interview. Charles Wang, an immigrant businessman who has successfully built a cosmetics empire and made a fortune, has just been ruined by the financial crisis. All he wants is to get his kids safely stowed away so that he can go to China and attempt to reclaim his family’s ancestral lands --- and his pride. But Charles may have to choose between the old world and the new, between keeping his family intact and finally fulfilling his dream of starting anew in China.
Maya Gittelman has our rave review and calls THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD “a must-read for every American citizen --- and a breath of fresh air for many Asian-American citizens and immigrants who can find our story told only rarely, and even then not often as unapologetic and tender as this. It is simply an expertly executed, beautiful and brilliant work.” I had the opportunity to ask Jade some questions about her standout first novel, which you can read in our interview here. I was lucky enough to meet Jade last spring, and it’s been fun watching the early buzz surrounding this book; to me, it’s such a great story about the bonds of family.
Award-winning author Caroline Leavitt is at her mesmerizing best in CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD, a haunting, nuanced portrait of love, sisters and the impossible legacy of family. It is 1969, and 16-year-old Lucy is about to run away to live off the grid in rural Pennsylvania, a rash act that will have fierce repercussions for both her and her older sister, Charlotte. As Lucy’s default caretaker for most of their lives, Charlotte’s youth has been shaped by the burden of responsibility, but never more so than when Lucy’s dream of a rural paradise turns into a nightmare.
Reviewer Jana Siciliano calls CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD “a masterwork, a book that is so well-crafted and emotionally resonant that the reader will be loathe to hand it off to the next willing reader until he or she has read it over again." I am totally with Jana here, which is why I selected it as my latest Bets On title. Don’t miss my commentary in next week’s newsletter.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include THE TRESPASSER, the sixth installment in Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series; NEWS OF THE WORLD, Paulette Jiles’ latest work of historical fiction, which has just been shortlisted for the National Book Award for Fiction (click here to see all the books appearing on this year’s National Book Award shortlists); and two novels that should put you in a festive holiday mood, albeit a bit earlier than usual --- TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Debbie Macomber and WINTER STORMS, the conclusion to Elin Hilderbrand's Winter Street trilogy.
Our Sneak Peek contest is back! This time, we’re awarding 25 advance copies of I FOUND YOU by Lisa Jewell, which doesn’t release until April 2017, to those who would like to read the book and share their feedback on it. In a British seaside town, Alice Lake finds a man on the beach outside her house. He has no name or any idea what he is doing there. Against her better judgment, she invites him into her home. Meanwhile, in a London suburb, 21-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night, she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed. Intrigued by this premise and want to read more about it? Then be sure to fill out this form by Thursday, October 20th at noon ET. In order to enter, though, you must be sure you’ll have time to read the book and comment on it by Friday, December 9th. Quick note on I FOUND YOU: This was the first book of Lisa’s that I read. I immediately noted it will be a Bets On pick, and I also started reading her backlist.
Listen up, audiobook listeners who are also members of a book group! There’s a very special contest going on right now over at ReadingGroupGuides.com that should be music to your ears. We’re giving away audiobooks to nine groups who are interested in listening to their group’s selection instead of reading the printed book. We know many book group members have tried this and love it, especially when their book group deadline is looming! Three groups will win BEHOLD THE DREAMERS, three will win the aforementioned SMALL GREAT THINGS, and three will win THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. Read more about the contest here and fill out the form here by Wednesday, November 2nd at noon ET. Please keep in mind, though: Your group must be able to commit to listening to and discussing your audiobook and sharing feedback with us by Friday, January 27th.
Speaking of which, if you are not in a book group, we’re giving you another chance to win the audio version of SMALL GREAT THINGS in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest, along with Brit Bennett’s THE MOTHERS, read by Adenrele Ojo (one of this year’s BEA Buzz books). Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and you’ll be in the running to win both audio titles. The deadline for your submissions is Tuesday, November 1st at noon ET.
We have one more audiobook we’d like to bring to your attention, and it’s a doggone good one. Out this week is BEING A DOG: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell. Here, Alexandra Horowitz, who many of you may know from her bestselling blockbuster, INSIDE OF A DOG: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, explains how dogs perceive the world through their most spectacular organ --- the nose --- and how we humans can put our under-used sense of smell to work in surprising ways. Be sure to listen to an excerpt from the audiobook, read by Alexandra herself, here, and a brief video interview with the author here.
The atmospheric HOUSE OF THIEVES by Charles Belfoure, a Bets On selection, is our latest Paperback Spotlight title. Belfoure established himself as a master of historical fiction with THE PARIS ARCHITECT, another Bets On pick. Now, he takes us into the perils of New York’s Gilded Age. It’s 1886, and a respectable architect shouldn't have any connection to the notorious gang of thieves and killers that rules the underbelly of the city. But when John Cross' son racks up an unfathomable gambling debt to Kent's Gents, Cross must pay it back himself. All he has to do is use his inside knowledge of high society mansions and museums to craft a robbery even the smartest detectives won't solve. With a newfound talent for sniffing out vulnerable and lucrative targets, Cross becomes invaluable to the gang. But his entire life has become a balancing act, and it will only take one mistake for it all to come crashing down. Please check out our review, my Bets On commentary, and the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
In this week’s Fall Preview contests, we gave away CROSSING THE HORIZON by Laurie Notaro, FRIDAY ON MY MIND: A Frieda Klein Mystery by Nicci French (which we review this week), and THE SECRET CHORD by Geraldine Brooks (now available in paperback). Our final contest will go live on Monday, October 17th at noon ET; the prize book that day will be VICTORIA: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire by Julia Baird.
Over at Teenreads.com, we're giving readers a chance to win four books that we think will be perfect for fall reading in our aptly named Fall Reading contest. So be sure to let the teens in your life know all about it!
We’ve updated our New in Paperback and Books on Screen features for this month. Among the many noteworthy paperbacks releasing in October are THE GUEST ROOM by Chris Bohjalian, THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE by Melanie Benjamin, and THE ROAD TO LITTLE DRIBBLING by Bill Bryson. Everyone seems to be talking about the film adaptation of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, which made its highly anticipated stop in theaters today. Other movies to get excited about this month include Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Inferno (based on Dan Brown’s bestseller), and American Pastoral (based on Philip Roth’s 1997 novel).
THE GIRL FROM VENICE by Martin Cruz Smith and THE OTHER EINSTEIN by Marie Benedict (a future Bets On pick) are the prize books in our current Word of Mouth contest. Please let us know by Friday, October 21st at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading for your chance to win both novels.
We’re only one week into October, and I’m sure you can already tell from looking at this newsletter that this month will feature lots of major book releases. We’ve compiled a number of the fiction titles here, and we ask in our latest poll which of these, if any, you are planning to read.
In our previous poll, we asked what you have borrowed from your local library in the last year. Your top choices were print books (84%), eBooks (39%), DVDs (38%) and audiobooks on disc (31%). Click here for all the results.
News and Pop Culture:
Reader Mail: Sue wrote this about my wetsuit woes: “Have you tried turning the wetsuit inside out and stepping into the feet/leg part and then begin rolling it up onto your body? It's super easy once you get the hang of it. I feel for you! I hear my mom saying, 'It's like stuffing a 10-pound sausage into a five-pound sack.' Oh! There's a product called Glide. It's super for assisting with chafing and helps ease the suit on and off too. I love your newsletters.”
Lola wrote, “I have received Bookreporter for some time and look forward to reading it weekly. I follow your Word of Mouth and reading suggestions on a continued basis.”
Got this from Cindy on winning our recent audiobook contest: "Oh my gosh!!!! Thank you so much!!!! I can't wait. I tell my book group about your website and letters all the time. Wait 'til they hear about this!!!!"
New from the author of ORPHAN TRAIN: I loved A PIECE OF THE WORLD by Christina Baker Kline, which is coming out on February 21st. You can read an excerpt here.
Lee Child: Here’s info on his cameo in the upcoming Reacher film. And more on Lee about Reacher, The Beatles, and being "No. 1 in America."
Tom Brokaw: Great piece in the Times on learning to live with cancer.
Ina Garten: Here she talks about the importance of her husband Jeffrey in her life, and him in hers.
Who is Elena Ferrante?: The mystery is discussed here and here.
The apartment that inspired the book: I have been dying to read Alyson Richman’s THE VELVET HOURS. You can read about the apartment that inspired it here.
Louise Penny: Beautiful tribute from her about her husband in her latest newsletter.
As I mentioned earlier, The Girl on the Train hits theaters today. If you go, let me know what you think!
Our readers in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have been very much on my mind this week as Hurricane Matthew heads up the coast. I am hoping it stays off shore.
Tom is away playing in the BMW Golf Cup USA Finals at Pinehurst. If he wins, he has told me it’s a trip for two to Abu Dhabi. I am hoping that the hurricane stays off the coast and does not ruin their third day of play on Saturday as he has been looking forward to this trip! Greg is in Switzerland, or maybe France, as he was going there for a day. He shared the stunning photo above from the Alps, where he hiked on Thursday. Also, the bookshelves above are in his friend Gabby’s apartment; one-third are in German, and the rest are in English. Lovely to see a friend’s library like that.
I have library events these next two weekends, thus I am kicking it back a notch here, and the office is closed for Columbus Day. The house is quiet, and I am relishing some decompress time. Tomorrow I am heading up to Westchester to see an old friend. Hoping Cory swings by for a visit this weekend.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound
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New Release Spotlight: SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult
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SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult (Fiction)
Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than 20 years’ experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders, or does she intervene?
Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy’s counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family --- especially her teenage son --- as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other’s trust, and come to see that what they’ve been taught their whole lives about others --- and themselves --- might be wrong.
SMALL GREAT THINGS releases on October 11th.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Jodi Picoult's bio.
-Visit Jodi Picoult's official website, Instagram and Pinterest.
-Connect with Jodi Picoult on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight. |
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Jade Chang, Author of THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD --- a Women's Fiction Author Spotlight Title
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Jade Chang is a former arts and culture journalist, whose debut novel, THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD, is a hilariously subversive immigrant story about a wealthy but fractured Chinese family that had it all, only to lose every last cent --- and about the road trip they take across America that binds them back together. In this interview conducted by Carol Fitzgerald, Chang talks about her unique approach to a classic story type, how she enjoys finding humor in unexpected places, and the surprising way she was able to research the Wangs’ cross-country adventure.
THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD by Jade Chang (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Nancy Wu
A brash, lovable immigrant businessman who built a cosmetics empire and made a fortune, Charles Wang has just been ruined by the financial crisis. Now all he wants is to get his kids safely stowed away so he can go to China and attempt to reclaim his family’s ancestral lands --- and his pride. Charles pulls Andrew, his aspiring comedian son, and Grace, his style-obsessed daughter, out of schools he can no longer afford. Together with their stepmother, Barbra, they embark on a cross-country road trip to the upstate New York hideout of the eldest daughter, disgraced art world it-girl Saina. But Charles may have to choose between the old world and the new, between keeping his family intact and finally fulfilling his dream of starting anew in China. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit the book's official website.
-Click here to read Jade Chang's bio.
-Click here to connect with Jade Chang on Twitter.
-Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
-Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight.
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Click here to read our interview. |
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New Sneak Peek Contest: Enter to Win an Advance Copy of I FOUND YOU by Lisa Jewell and Share Your Comments on It
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 Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights I FOUND YOU by Lisa Jewell, a suspenseful drama about a young bride, a lonely single mother, and an amnesiac man of dubious origin. The book doesn’t release until April 25th, but we have 25 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by Friday, December 9th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 20th 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 I FOUND YOU and give us your feedback by the December 9th deadline.
I FOUND YOU by Lisa Jewell (Psychological Suspense)
In a windswept British seaside town, single mom Alice Lake finds a man sitting on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket and no idea how he got there. Against her better judgment, she invites him inside.
Meanwhile, in a suburb of London, 21-year-old Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night, she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one. Then the police tell her that her husband never existed.
Twenty-three years earlier, Gray and Kirsty are teenagers on a summer holiday with their parents. Their annual trip to the quaint seaside town is passing by uneventfully, until an enigmatic young man starts paying extra attention to Kirsty. Something about him makes Gray uncomfortable --- and it’s not just that he’s playing the role of protective older brother.
-Click here to read Lisa Jewell's bio.
-Connect with Lisa Jewell on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Sneak Peek Feature and enter the contest. |
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New Special Contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com: Enter to Win Audiobooks for You and Your Book Group --- Listen, Discuss and Give Feedback
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ReadingGroupGuides.com is proud to be hosting a very special contest. We are giving away audiobooks to nine book groups in total: three groups will win Imbolo Mbue's BEHOLD THE DREAMERS, read by Prentice Onayemi; three will win Jodi Picoult's SMALL GREAT THINGS, read by Audra McDonald (with Cassandra Campbell and Ari Fliakos); and three will win Colson Whitehead's THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, read by Bahni Turpin. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, November 2nd at noon ET.
In order to qualify as a winning group, your group must be able to commit to listening to and discussing your audiobook and sharing your feedback with us by Friday, January 27th. We also strongly encourage your group to talk about these selections and your experience on social media, including reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Bookreporter.com’s Sounding Off on Audio feature.
In addition --- as a thank you for your participation --- each group coordinator who fully completes the project will win another audiobook of his or her choosing from a list that we will provide.
BEHOLD THE DREAMERS by Imbolo Mbue (Historical Fiction)
Read by Prentice Onayemi
Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, has come to the United States to provide a better life for himself, his wife, Neni, and their six-year-old son. In the fall of 2007, Jende can hardly believe his luck when he lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. However, the world of great power and privilege conceals troubling secrets, and soon Jende and Neni notice cracks in their employers’ façades. When the financial world is rocked by the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the Jongas are desperate to keep Jende’s job, even as their marriage threatens to fall apart. As all four lives are dramatically upended, Jende and Neni are forced to make an impossible choice.
SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult (Fiction)
Read by Audra McDonald, with Cassandra Campbell and Ari Fliakos
Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than 20 years’ experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders, or does she intervene? Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime.
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead (Historical Fiction)
Read by Bahni Turpin
Cora is a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia. An outcast even among her fellow Africans, she is coming into womanhood --- where even greater pain awaits. When Caesar, a recent arrival from Virginia, tells her about the Underground Railroad, they decide to take a terrifying risk and escape. Like the protagonist of GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, Cora encounters different worlds at each stage of her journey --- hers is an odyssey through time as well as space. As Whitehead brilliantly re-creates the unique terrors for black people in the pre-Civil War era, his narrative seamlessly weaves the saga of America from the brutal importation of Africans to the unfulfilled promises of the present day.
-Click here to read more on “Why Listen to Audio for Your Book Group Discussion” from Penguin Random House.
-Click here to visit the Penguin Random House Audio website to see more suggestions for listening and how to discuss an audiobook with your book group.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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Featured Review: THE TRESPASSER by Tana French
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THE TRESPASSER by Tana French (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Hilda Fay
Being on the Murder squad is nothing like Detective Antoinette Conway dreamed it would be. Her partner, Stephen Moran, is the only person who seems glad she’s there. Their new case looks like yet another by-the-numbers lovers’ quarrel gone bad. Aislinn Murray is dead in her living room, next to a table set for a romantic dinner. There’s nothing unusual about her --- except that Antoinette has seen her somewhere before. Other detectives are trying to push Antoinette and Steve into arresting Aislinn’s boyfriend. Is this case another step in the campaign to force her off the squad, or are there darker currents flowing beneath its polished surface? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read the review. |
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It's Christmas in October! Our Reviews of TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Debbie Macomber and WINTER STORMS by Elin Hilderbrand
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TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Audiobook available, read by Suzanne Elise Freeman
Aspiring journalist Julia Padden starts a blog as a means of seeking revenge against her grouchy, arrogant, annoyingly handsome neighbor. Julia and Cain have clashed since she moved into the apartment building, but instead of fighting fire with fire, Julia has decided to kill Cain with kindness and document her success --- or lack thereof --- for all the world to see. To her surprise, her blog is an instant success, with Julia’s followers contributing their own suggestions for breaking through Cain’s cold exterior. And little by little, these small acts of kindness start to have a major effect. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read the review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
WINTER STORMS by Elin Hilderbrand (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Erin Bennett
For the Quinn family, things finally seem to be coming together. However, there are still a few dark clouds on the horizon in Kelley’s recent health scare, Jennifer’s addiction to drugs, and Ava’s inability to choose between two lovers. But if there’s one holiday that brings the family together, it’s Christmas. This year promises celebration in Kevin and Isabelle’s wedding at the inn, but a historic once-in-a-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket as the special day approaches, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place and people they love the most. Reviewed by Vivian Payton.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read the review.
-Click here to read an excerpt. |
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Featured Review: NEWS OF THE WORLD by Paulette Jiles
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NEWS OF THE WORLD by Paulette Jiles (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Grover Gardner
It is 1870, and Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, an elderly widower who travels through northern Texas giving live readings to audiences hungry for news of the world, is offered money to deliver a young orphan to her relatives in San Antonio. Johanna, raised by a band of Kiowa raiders who killed her parents and sister, has forgotten the English language and refuses to act “civilized.” But on their 400-mile journey, Captain Kidd and Johanna forge a deep bond, making it difficult for Kidd to give her up to her reluctant aunt and uncle when it’s time. But can he risk becoming --- in the eyes of the law --- a kidnapper himself? Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the discussion guide.
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Click here to read the review. |
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Featured Review: CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD by Caroline Leavitt --- a Bookreporter.com Bets On Selection
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CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD by Caroline Leavitt (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sands Xe
It’s 1969, and 16-year-old Lucy is about to run away to live off the grid in rural Pennsylvania, a rash act that will have vicious repercussions for both her and her older sister, Charlotte. As Lucy’s default caretaker for most of their lives, Charlotte’s youth has been marked by the burden of responsibility, but never more so than when Lucy’s dream of a rural paradise turns into a nightmare. CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD examines the intricate, infinitesimal distance between seduction and love, loyalty and duty, and explores what happens when you’re responsible for things you cannot fix. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Read Carol's commentary about the book in the October 14th newsletter.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read the review. |
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New Paperback Spotlight: HOUSE OF THIEVES by Charles Belfoure --- a 2015 Bookreporter.com Bets On Selection
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THE HOUSE OF THIEVES by Charles Belfoure (Historical Fiction)
John Cross only cares about two things: becoming the most prominent society architect in New York and upholding his family’s spotless reputation. His entire life changes the day he discovers that his oldest son, George, has racked up an unfathomable gambling debt to Kent, the city’s most notorious criminal mastermind. Desperate to save his son’s life and uphold his family’s good name, he uses his architectural knowledge to help Kent and his gang of thieves pillage the homes of his friends and clients until the debt is paid in full.
When his exploits catch the attention of detectives, John realizes that it’s only a matter of time before they find out that he’s the culprit. With the cops breathing down his neck and Kent refusing to let him off the hook, John knows that if he’s not careful, his entire life --- and his family’s --- will come crashing down.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt
-Click here for the discussion guide.
-Click here to read Carol's "Bookreporter.com Bets On" commentary on the book.
-Click here to read Charles Belfoure's bio.
-Click here to visit Charles Belfoure's official website.
-Connect with Charles Belfoure on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight. |
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October's New in Paperback Roundups
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October's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes THE GUEST ROOM by Chris Bohjalian, the spellbinding tale of a party gone horribly wrong --- two men lie dead in a suburban living room, two women are on the run from police, and a marriage is ripping apart at the seams; THE BAZAAR OF BAD DREAMS, in which Stephen King assembles, for the first time, recent stories that have never been published in a book, and introduces each with a passage about its origins or his motivations for writing it; and THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE, Melanie Benjamin's novel about New York’s “Swans” of the 1950s --- and the scandalous, headline-making and enthralling friendship between literary legend Truman Capote and peerless socialite Babe Paley.
Among our nonfiction highlights are THE ROAD TO LITTLE DRIBBLING, the much-anticipated follow-up to NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND, in which Iowa native Bill Bryson --- now a British citizen --- sets out again to rediscover his adopted country; LAFAYETTE IN THE SOMEWHAT UNITED STATES by Sarah Vowell, an insightful and unconventional account of George Washington’s trusted officer and friend, that swashbuckling teenage French aristocrat, the Marquis de Lafayette; and HEART OF GLASS, Wendy Lawless' follow-up memoir to CHANEL BONFIRE, the darkly funny story of a girl without a roadmap for life who leaves her disastrous past to find herself in the gritty heart of 1980s New York City.
-Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of October 3rd, October 10th, October 17th and October 24th. |
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October's Books on Screen Feature
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We find ourselves together in this very October-y October, when the leaves are starting to turn and pumpkin spice once again resumes its delicious reign of terror! For those of you who aren’t exclusively watching scary movies or The Rocky Horror Picture Show on repeat this month, we have some great entertainment alternatives.
Paula Hawkins’ THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN was a huge hit when it released in 2015; accolades went as far as calling it the new GONE GIRL. The film adaptation is now in theaters and stars Emily Blunt, who is pitch-perfect as a woman slowly losing her grip on reality.
Tom Cruise is back as the titular hero in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, adapted from Lee Child’s indefatigable series; Tom Hanks returns as famous symbologist Robert Langdon in Inferno, based on Dan Brown's 2013 novel of the same name; and Ewan McGregor makes his directorial debut with American Pastoral to the relief of thousands of high schoolers who can now skip reading the Philip Roth classic and go straight to the reel.
Still going strong on the small screen are “Queen Sugar” on OWN, “Poldark” on PBS, and, if you’ve tuned out everything else I’ve said because you have that 31-days-of-October bloodlust, “The Exorcist” on FOX.
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Click here to see all the movies and TV shows featured in October's Books on Screen. |
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More Reviews This Week
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MISSING: A Private Novel by James Patterson and Kathryn Fox (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Daniel Lepaine
Craig Gisto has promised Eliza Moss that his elite team at Private Sydney will investigate the disappearance of her father. After all, as CEO of a high-profile research company, Eric Moss shouldn't be difficult to find. But despite the most advanced technology at their disposal, they find every trace of him has vanished too. And they aren't the only ones on the hunt. Powerful figures want Moss to stay "lost," while others just as ruthlessly want him found. Meanwhile, a routine background check becomes a frantic race to find a stolen baby and catch a brutal killer --- a killer Private may well have sent straight to the victim's door. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
NICOTINE by Nell Zink (Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by Cassandra Campbell
Recent business school graduate Penny Baker has rebelled against her family her whole life --- by being the conventional one. But all that changes when her father dies, and she inherits his childhood home in New Jersey. She goes to investigate the property and finds it occupied by a group of friendly anarchist squatters who have renamed the property "Nicotine." The Nicotine residents (united in defense of smokers’ rights) possess the type of passion and fervor Penny feels she’s desperately lacking. As the Baker family’s lives begin to converge around the fate of the house, Penny grows ever bolder and more desperate to protect it until a fateful night when a reckless confrontation between her old family and her new one changes everything. Reviewed by Kaitlynn Helm.
QUARRY IN THE BLACK by Max Allan Collins (Hard-boiled Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Stefan Rudnicki
With a controversial presidential election just weeks away, Quarry is hired to carry out a rare political assignment: kill the Reverend Raymond Wesley Lloyd, a passionate Civil Rights crusader and campaigner for the underdog candidate. But when a hate group out of Ferguson, Missouri, turns out to be gunning for the same target, Quarry starts to wonder just who it is he’s working for. Reviewed by Tom Callahan.
PUSHING UP DAISIES: An Agatha Raisin Mystery by M. C. Beaton (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Alison Larkin
When Agatha Raisin left behind her PR business in London, she fulfilled her dream of settling in the cozy British Cotswolds where she began a successful private detective agency. Unfortunately, Lord Bellington, a wealthy land developer, wants to turn the community garden into a housing estate. When Agatha and her friend, Sir Charles Fraith, attempt to convince Lord Bellington to abandon his plans, he scoffs: “Do you think I give a damn about those pesky villagers?” So when Agatha finds his obituary in the newspaper two weeks later, it’s no surprise that some in town are feeling celebratory. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
STRONG COLD DEAD: A Caitlin Strong Novel by Jon Land (Thriller)
The terrorist organization ISIS is after a deadly toxin that could be the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. The same toxin holds the potential to eradicate cancer. There is a frantic race to see who can get to it first, even as Caitlin Strong begins to assemble the disparate pieces of a deadly puzzle. At the center of that puzzle is an Indian reservation where a vengeful tycoon is mining the toxin, disguising his effort as an oil-drilling operation. This is the same reservation where Caitlin’s great-great-grandfather, also a Texas Ranger, once waged a similar battle against the forces of John D. Rockefeller. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE LOST BOY by Camilla Läckberg (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Simon Vance
Detective Patrik Hedstrom is no stranger to tragedy. A murder case concerning Fjällbacka’s dead financial director, Mats Sverin, is a grim but useful distraction from his recent family misfortunes. It seems Sverin was a man who everybody liked yet nobody really knew. His high school sweetheart, Nathalie, has just returned to Fjällbacka with her five-year-old son. Perhaps she can shed some light on who Sverin really was. However, Nathalie has her own secret. If it’s discovered, she will lose her only child. As the investigation stalls, the police have many questions. But there is only one that matters: Is there anything a mother would not do to protect her child? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
FRIDAY ON MY MIND: A Frieda Klein Mystery by Nicci French (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Beth Chalmers
A bloated corpse turns up in the Thames, throat slashed, and the only clue is a hospital wristband reading Dr. F. Klein. Frieda is taken to see the body and realizes with horror that it is Sandy, her ex-boyfriend. She’s certain that the killer is Dean Reeve --- the man who has never stopped haunting her. But the police think he has been dead for years, and Frieda is their number one suspect. With few options, Frieda goes on the run to save herself and try to uncover the truth. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
FIELDS OF BATTLE: Pearl Harbor, the Rose Bowl, and the Boys Who Went to War by Brian Curtis (History)
In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the 1942 Rose Bowl was moved from Pasadena to Duke University out of fear of further Japanese attacks on the West Coast. Shortly after this unforgettable game, many of the players and coaches left their respective colleges, entered the military, and went on to serve around the world in famous battlegrounds. Fate and destiny would bring them back together on faraway battlefields, fighting on the same team. FIELDS OF BATTLE sheds light on a little-known slice of American history where World War II and football intersect. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.
INDELIBLE INK: The Trials of John Peter Zenger and the Birth of America's Free Press by Richard Kluger (History)
Audiobook available, read by Tom Perkins
When Britain began colonizing the New World, strict censorship was the iron rule and any words that disparaged the government were a punishable crime. So when a small newspaper, the New-York Weekly Journal, printed scathing articles assailing the new British governor, William Cosby, as corrupt and abusive, it was the paper’s publisher, John Peter Zenger, who took the fall. Although Zenger was merely a front man for Cosby’s true adversaries, he was jailed for the better part of a year and faced a jury in a proceeding matched in importance during the colonial period only by the Salem Witch Trials. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
FORTY AUTUMNS: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell
FORTY AUTUMNS makes visceral the pain and longing of one family forced to live apart in a world divided by two. Here, Nina Willner recounts her family’s story --- five ordinary lives buffeted by circumstances beyond their control. She takes us deep into the tumultuous and terrifying world of East Germany under Communist rule, revealing both the cruel reality her relatives endured and her own experiences as an intelligence officer, running secret operations behind the Berlin Wall that put her life at risk. Reviewed by Alexis Burling.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the discussion guide. |
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Next Week's Notables: Noteworthy Books Releasing on October 10th and 11th
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Below are some notable titles releasing on October 10th and 11th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks releasing the week of October 10th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
October 10th
FILTHY RICH: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy -- The Shocking True Story of Jeffery Epstein by James Patterson and John Connolly, with Tim Malloy (True Crime)
Jeffrey Epstein rose from humble origins to the rarefied heights of New York City's financial elite. But even after he had it all, Epstein wanted more. And that unceasing desire --- especially a taste for young girls --- resulted in his stunning fall from grace. FILTHY RICH examines all sides of a case that scandalized one of America's richest communities.
October 11th
AROUND THE WAY GIRL: A Memoir by Taraji P. Henson (Memoir)
Taraji P. Henson writes of her family, the one she was born into and the one she created. She opens up about her father, her mother, and experiences as a single mother, a journey some saw as a burden but she saw as a gift.
BRIDGET JONES'S BABY: The Diaries by Helen Fielding (Fiction)
Bridget Jones’ pregnancy is full of cheesy potatoes, outlandish advice from Drunken Singletons and Smug Mothers, chaos at scans and childbirth classes, high jinks and romance --- but all of it dominated by the terribly awkward question: Who's the father?
THE CLANCYS OF QUEENS: A Memoir by Tara Clancy (Memoir)
From scheming and gambling with her force-of-nature grandmother, to brawling with 11-year-old girls in recess battles, to holding court at her dad’s local bar, Tara Clancy leapfrogs across these varied spheres, delivering stories from each world with originality, grit and outrageous humor.
HAG-SEED by Margaret Atwood (Fiction)
After an act of treachery, Felix is living in exile, haunted by memories of his lost daughter, Miranda. After 12 years, revenge finally arrives in the shape of a theater course at a nearby prison. Here, Felix and his inmate actors will put on his “Tempest” and snare the traitors who destroyed him. It's magic! But will it remake Felix as his enemies fall?
HOMEWARD BOUND: The Life of Paul Simon by Peter Ames Carlin (Biography)
Peter Ames Carlin's HOMEWARD BOUND is the first major biography of one of the most influential artists in American history. The grandchild of Jewish immigrants from Hungary, Paul Simon not only has sold more than 100 million records and won countless awards but also has animated the meaning of personal and cultural identity in a rapidly shrinking world.
HUNGRY HEART: Adventures in Life, Love, and Writing by Jennifer Weiner (Essays)
Jennifer Weiner takes the raw stuff of her life and spins it into a collection of tales of modern-day womanhood. Born in Louisiana, raised in Connecticut, educated at Princeton, Jennifer spent years feeling like an outsider before finding her people in newsrooms, and her voice as a novelist, activist and New York Times columnist.
A LIFE IN PARTS by Bryan Cranston (Memoir)
Bryan Cranston traces his zigzag journey from his chaotic childhood to his dramatic epiphany, and beyond, to mega-stardom and a cult-like following. He accomplishes this by vividly revisiting the many parts he’s played, on camera and off.
THE MOTHERS by Brit Bennett (Fiction)
After a pregnancy that results from a teen romance --- and the subsequent cover up --- Nadia, Luke and Aubrey are still living in debt to the choices they made that one seaside summer, caught in a love triangle they must carefully maneuver, and dogged by the constant, nagging question: What if they had chosen differently?
ORDER TO KILL: A Mitch Rapp Novel by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills (Thriller)
CIA operative Mitch Rapp finds himself chasing Pakistani nukes to keep them from falling into the wrong hands. When it becomes clear that forces in Moscow are bent on creating more chaos, Rapp must go deep into Russian territory, posing as an American ISIS recruit. There, he uncovers a plan much more dangerous and insidious than he ever expected.
PRECIOUS AND GRACE: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (17) by Alexander McCall Smith (Mystery)
A young Canadian woman who spent her early childhood in Botswana requests the agency’s help. With only a faded photograph to guide them, Precious and Grace set out to find missing pieces of her life there. But when the journey takes an unexpected turn, they are forced to consider whether some lost things may be better off unfound.
SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult (Fiction)
After performing a routine checkup on a newborn, Ruth Jefferson is ordered to follow the white supremacist parents’ wishes not to touch their child. The next day, Ruth is alone in the nursery while the baby goes into cardiac distress. She hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime.
SOMETHING BURIED, SOMETHING BLUE: A Lily Dale Mystery by Wendy Corsi Staub (Cozy Mystery)
While keeping the Lily Dale house over the winter, Bella Jordan is recruited by the medium next door, Odelia, to host a wedding to the world’s most petulant bride. Things take a stressful turn as the wedding day looms amidst an October blizzard, when suddenly the Spirits start giving Odelia signs that the bride might be fated for death.
A TERRIBLE BEAUTY: A Lady Emily Mystery by Tasha Alexander (Historical Mystery)
On a holiday in Greece, Lady Emily is occupied with tours of ancient ruins and escapades with her husband, Colin. But all is brought to an abrupt halt when Lord Philip Ashton, Colin’s childhood best friend and Emily’s first husband, seems to rise from the dead with the scars and stories to prove it. Will his undying love for Emily drive him to claim what’s his?
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Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter. |
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Our Latest Poll and Word of Mouth/Sounding Off on Audio Contests
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Poll:
Which fiction titles releasing in October are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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BRIDGET JONES'S BABY: The Diaries, by Helen Fielding
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THE CHRISTMAS TOWN by Donna VanLiere
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CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD by Caroline Leavitt
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ESCAPE CLAUSE: A Virgil Flowers Novel, by John Sandford
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THE GIRL FROM VENICE by Martin Cruz Smith
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HAG-SEED by Margaret Atwood
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NEWS OF THE WORLD by Paulette Jiles
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THE OBSIDIAN CHAMBER by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
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ORDER TO KILL: A Mitch Rapp Novel, by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills
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PRECIOUS AND GRACE: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (17) by Alexander McCall Smith
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SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult
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THE TERRANAUTS by T.C. Boyle
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TODAY WILL BE DIFFERENT by Maria Semple
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THE TRESPASSER by Tana French
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TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: A Christmas Novel, by Debbie Macomber
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TWO BY TWO by Nicholas Sparks
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THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD by Jade Chang
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THE WHISTLER by John Grisham
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WINTER STORMS by Elin Hilderbrand
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None of the above
-Click here to vote in the poll.
Word of Mouth:
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from October 7th to October 21st at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE GIRL FROM VENICE by Martin Cruz Smith and THE OTHER EINSTEIN by Marie Benedict.
-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio:
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from October 3rd to November 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Brit Bennett's THE MOTHERS, read by Adenrele Ojo, and Jodi Picoult's SMALL GREAT THINGS, read by Audra McDonald with Cassandra Campbell and Ari Fliakos.
-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here. |
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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.
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