Here comes a three-day weekend! And I am ready for it. I have been working some very long hours prepping for BookExpo next week. Among other events during the week, I am going to be interviewing Kate Morton, whose upcoming book, THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER, which will be in stores on October 9th, is just fabulous. It’s so multi-layered that I marveled at her plotting as well as her storytelling as I was reading. It’s the kind of book you want to really focus on as you read it, and savor every last detail as it unfolds. I am so looking forward to speaking to her.
I also pre-interviewed all six of the Buzz Authors whose work will be spotlighted during the conference next week. I had such fun talking to them about their books. During our conversations, I found myself wanting to pursue my plans to do a podcast, and I got more ideas on how to shape it. We will have more on these authors and their work in our next newsletter.
This weekend, my book reading plans include two of our Summer Reading titles. The first is HOW HARD CAN IT BE? by Allison Pearson, which will be in stores on June 5th. Her I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT was a favorite when it published 16 years ago in 2002; for the record, I would have guessed it came out maybe eight years ago. Since I love to swim, THE LIDO by Libby Page, which will be in stores on July 10th, has been teeter-tottering on my to-be-read pile and calling to me for a few weeks, as I finished my reading for BookExpo. In it, Rosemary Peterson has lived in Brixton, London, all her life. But suddenly lots is changing fast. The library is closed, the grocery store she knew well has become a cool bar, and the lido, an outdoor pool where she has swum, is now threatened with closure.
On Tuesday night, I watched the first episode of “The Great American Read” on PBS. For those who love books, it was a wonderful night of hearing tidbits of interest about books for book lovers. Authors, celebrities, other well-known folks and everyday readers all are featured talking about the books that they love and why they resonate with them. It was filled with brilliant book commentary. Tuesday night was a kickoff event for the series with more shows to come in the fall; if you missed it, check your local PBS listings for more air dates for this first show.
The results of our Bookreporter.com “Great American Read” survey are in! We wanted to know which of the 100 best-loved novels that are being featured on the program you have read. The most frequently read novel among our Bookreporter.com readers is TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee. We ran a separate survey on ReadingGroupGuides.com, and you can check out those results here.
Here are the others in the top 20 vote-getters from Bookreporter.com readers: THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett, LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott, GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn, THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown, GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell, CHARLOTTE'S WEB by E. B. White, THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald, THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER by Mark Twain, THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold, 1984 by George Orwell, THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J. D. Salinger, THE GRAPES OF WRATH by John Steinbeck, THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak, THE JOY LUCK CLUB by Amy Tan, JANE EYRE by Charlotte Brontë, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN by Betty Smith, THE NOTEBOOK by Nicholas Sparks, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA by Arthur Golden, and WUTHERING HEIGHTS by Emily Brontë. Click here for all the results.
Remember, the goal here is to pick America’s Favorite Read, and you can vote for your favorite novel once a day every day on the "Great American Read" website from now until when the voting ends.
Our previous poll asked if you’re planning to watch the series and vote. 65% of you will watch and vote, 11% plan to watch but probably will not vote, 7% plan to vote but probably will not watch the entire series, only 5% do not plan to watch the series or vote, and 12% aren’t sure what they’re going to do.
Last week we lost Tom Wolfe, and sadly we now mourn the loss of another literary giant: Philip Roth, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 85. Roth was one of the most acclaimed writers of his generation. The recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for his 1997 novel, AMERICAN PASTORAL (which was made into a major motion picture two years ago starring Ewan McGregor and Jennifer Connelly), Roth won the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award twice each and the PEN/Faulkner Award three times. In 2005, THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA --- which imagined an alternate history where Franklin D. Roosevelt loses the 1940 presidential election to heroic aviator and rabid isolationist Charles A. Lindbergh --- received the Society of American Historians’ Prize for “the outstanding historical novel on an American theme for 2003–2004.”
Among the many standout tributes to Roth is this one from the New York Times, where journalist Taffy Brodesser-Akner explains “What Philip Roth Taught Me About Being an American Jew.” Also, Lisa Scottoline had a big book announcement this week, and it’s based on an idea that she had when Roth was her professor at the University of Pennsylvania. You can read about it here.
This week’s most notable review is of Stephen King’s latest novel, THE OUTSIDER, which centers on the horrific murder of an 11-year-old boy. But what’s more shocking than the crime itself is the prime suspect: Terry Maitland --- a Little League coach, an English teacher, a husband, and the father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy and an upstanding citizen, but is he wearing another face?
Reviewer Joe Hartlaub calls THE OUTSIDER one of King’s greatest books and goes on to say, “There is a genuine mystery at the heart of the book, along with suspense, thrills, horror, and even a platonic romance that quietly develops in the second half. But make no mistake about it, King isn’t just ticking off boxes here. He hits that sweet spot --- the one you almost think he might have invented --- where you want to stop reading for fear of what comes next, but you can’t.” You can see King interviewed about THE OUTSIDER on "CBS This Morning" here.
The audio version of THE OUTSIDER, read by Will Patton, is one of this month’s Sounding Off on Audio prizes; the other is Ruth Ware's THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY, read by Imogen Church (which we review next week). Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to for your chance to win both these audio titles. Be sure to enter by Monday, June 4th at noon ET.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include PAUL SIMON: The Life, Robert Hilburn’s biography of the music legend that I’ve talked about in previous newsletters; RUTHLESS TIDE, a new history celebrating the remarkable heroes of the Johnstown Flood --- the deadliest flood in U.S. history --- from “Today” co-host Al Roker; THE FORGOTTEN ROAD, the second novel in Richard Paul Evans’ trilogy about a man who is on an inspirational pilgrimage across Route 66 to find his way back to himself; and THE HIGH SEASON, National Book Award winner Judy Blundell’s first novel for adults (she has written over 100[!] YA and middle-grade books).
We’ve extended the deadline for entries in our current Sneak Peek contest to Tuesday, May 29th at noon ET. We’re giving 50 readers the chance to win an advance copy of hedge fund pioneer Jerrold Fine’s debut novel, MAKE ME EVEN AND I’LL NEVER GAMBLE AGAIN, and share their comments on it with us by July 25th. As I’ve said before, I love the voice of this coming-of-age story, set against the backdrop of Wharton and Wall Street. Please note that it will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick; you can read my comments shortly after the book releases on August 14th. This one would be great reading at poolside.
Also continuing from last week (and for the next three weeks) is our 13th annual Father's Day contest. As we’ve done for the past 12 years, we’re giving away a number of fiction and nonfiction titles that we think dads will love. Five lucky readers will win all nine books for themselves or for their dad. Be sure to enter by Monday, June 18th at noon ET, and click here to read more about our featured titles.
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away BEACH HOUSE REUNION by Mary Alice Monroe, THE BOOK OF SUMMER by Michelle Gable, CAMPAIGN WIDOWS by Aimee Agresti, and EVERYTHING THAT FOLLOWS by Meg Little Reilly. Next week’s prizes will be HARBOR OF SPIES: A Novel of Historic Havana by Robin Lloyd, HARRY'S TREES by Jon Cohen, and SHELTER IN PLACE by Nora Roberts. The first contest of the week will go live on Tuesday, May 29th at noon ET.
We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, books we've recently reviewed on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience. This month’s titles are FATAL THRONE: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All by M.T. Anderson, Candace Fleming, Stephanie Hemphill, Lisa Ann Sandell, Jennifer Donnelly, Linda Sue Park and Deborah Hopkinson, STAY SWEET by Siobhan Vivian, and MOONRISE by Sarah Crossan.
How many books do you usually take with you on a weekend trip? That’s our latest poll question; let us know what you do by clicking here.
The aforementioned HOW HARD CAN IT BE? by Allison Pearson and US AGAINST YOU by Fredrik Backman are our latest Word of Mouth prizes. Let us know by Friday, June 8th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win these highly anticipated works of fiction, both of which release on June 5th.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Jim wrote, “Just finished David Joy’s first two books, and they were amazing. As someone who grew up in NC and spent some amount of time in the mountains, it is fascinating to read about these characters. While I can’t say I relate to them, I’ve certainly met them along the way. (One or two could be distant relatives.) Looking forward to his third release this August.”
The pool is open! It’s not crystal clear, or close to warm yet, but I am just happy seeing that it is almost ready to go. My wetsuit works in water 50 degrees and warmer; I will find the thermometer later. I bought a bunch of herbs last weekend, and they need to get into pots. All four of our butterfly bushes died over the winter, which we are blaming on the cold and wind; the odd thing is that we have tried to kill butterfly bushes in the past when they were out of control and never succeeded. I am trying to come up with what to plant there next and have decided this year that I want to do pots with mixed flowers so something always is blooming. I bought basil seeds; Tom thinks I have enough to plant 3/4 of an acre. Also, I have zinnia seeds...lots of them. I do not believe in doing things small.
The peonies are blooming, of course, because, as always, I will be in the city most of next week and will miss them in their glory. We must shelter them if it rains.
Greg headed to Canada this afternoon; he is flying to Surrey, where he is meeting up with a friend, and then they are taking a train to White River, which he has had his eye on for a while. The trip has literary overtones. He shared this tidbit that he found: “The township is perhaps best known for being the home of Winnie the Pooh. In August 1914, a trapped black bear cub was sold to Captain Harry Colebourn in White River, and Colebourn named it Winnipeg, or Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Over the years, the animal became the basis for the popular literary character. The town celebrates 'Winnie's Hometown Festival' every third week in August.” He’ll spend a day in Toronto on Monday before flying back. Cory grabbed some beach time today, and I think he will be in and out all weekend with his girlfriend, Sam. I am sure that Tom will play some golf.
My plans are simple. I am going to be reading the aforementioned books and working on the baby blanket that you can see above. It’s knit in a yarn from a company called Hayfield, and it’s Baby Blossom Chunky. It is a self-patterning yarn where amazingly pretty flowers emerge in stripes as you knit. My engineer husband is amazed at how the stripes are happening in this pattern, just using the yarn. It’s really fun to knit!
I also want to bank a lot of sleep since I know that next week is not going to lend itself to very much of that, but I am going to have lots of great stories to share.
On Monday, we will be at the town parade for Memorial Day, which is a small-town favorite of mine. There are a number of veterans who march, and the rest is just floats and bands and what feels like every fire truck, rescue truck and police car in town. Last year it was cancelled due to rain, and I really missed it; it was like summer never got started.
Read on, and have a great long weekend --- and 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!
Featured Review: THE OUTSIDER by Stephen King
THE OUTSIDER by Stephen King (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Will Patton
An 11-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens: Terry Maitland, a Little League coach, an English teacher, a husband, and the father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, THE OUTSIDER kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: PAUL SIMON: THE LIFE
by Robert Hilburn
PAUL SIMON: The Life by Robert Hilburn (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Dennis Boutsikaris
For more than 50 years, Paul Simon has spoken to us in songs about alienation, doubt, resilience and empathy in ways that have established him as one of the most beloved artists in American pop music history. But Simon is a deeply private person who has resisted speaking to us outside of his music. He has said he will not write an autobiography or memoir, and he has refused to talk to previous biographers. Finally, Simon has opened up --- for more than 100 hours of interviews --- to Robert Hilburn. The result is a deeply human account of the challenges and sacrifices of a life in music at the highest level. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: RUTHLESS TIDE by Al Roker
RUTHLESS TIDE: The Heroes and Villains of the Johnstown Flood, America's Astonishing Gilded Age Disaster by Al Roker (History)
Audiobook available, read by Mirron Willis
Central Pennsylvania, May 31, 1889: After a deluge of rain swelled the Little Conemaugh River, panicked engineers watched helplessly as swiftly rising waters threatened to breach the South Fork dam. At 3:10pm the dam gave way, releasing 20 million tons of water. The deluge wiped out nearly everything in its path before reaching Johnstown, a vibrant steel town 14 miles downstream. Traveling 40 miles an hour, the deadly floodwaters razed the mill town in minutes. The Great Flood remains the deadliest in US history, killing more than 2,200 people and causing $17 million in damage. In RUTHLESS TIDE, Al Roker follows an unforgettable cast of characters whose fates converged because of that tragic day. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE FORGOTTEN ROAD
by Richard Paul Evans
THE FORGOTTEN ROAD by Richard Paul Evans (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Richard Paul Evans
Chicago celebrity and successful pitchman Charles James is supposed to be dead. Everyone believes he was killed in a fiery plane crash. But thanks to a remarkable twist of fate, he’s very much alive and ready for a second chance at life --- and love. The last time he was truly happy was when he was married to his ex-wife Monica, before their connection was destroyed by his ambition and greed. Charles decides to embark on an epic quest: He will walk the entire length of Route 66, from Chicago to California, where he hopes to convince Monica to give him another shot. Along the way, Charles is immersed in the deep and rich history of one of America’s most iconic highways. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE HIGH SEASON by Judy Blundell
THE HIGH SEASON by Judy Blundell (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Whelan
In a beach town overrun with vacationers and newly colonized by socialites, Ruthie Beamish will go to extreme lengths when the life she loves is upended. Ruthie's house is her nest egg, recently renovated and located by the sea in a quiet village two ferry rides from the glitzier Hamptons. But to afford the house, she must rent it during the summer --- and this year to Adeline Clay, who is elegant, connected and accompanied by a “gorgeous satellite” stepson. Adeline forces herself into Ruthie's life, and when she's on the verge of losing everything, Ruthie discovers a new talent for pushing back. Nothing will be the same. Reviewed by Catherine Rubino.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com's 13th Annual
Father's Day Contest: Best Books for Dad
Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and loved us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? In our 13th annual "Best Books for Dad" contest, we have a selection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for Dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five readers will be awarded a copy of each of our featured titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, June 18th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Sneak Peek Contest: Enter to Win an Advance Copy of MAKE ME EVEN AND I’LL NEVER GAMBLE AGAIN
by Jerrold Fine and Share Your Comments on It
Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights MAKE ME EVEN AND I'LL NEVER GAMBLE AGAIN by Jerrold Fine, an intriguing look at human aspiration and the interplay of honor, greed, fear and individuality that reveals a time when a new generation upended the status quo on Wall Street and forever changed investing. The book doesn’t release until August 14th, but we have 50 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by Wednesday, July 25th. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, May 29th 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 MAKE ME EVEN AND I'LL NEVER GAMBLE AGAIN and give us your feedback by the July 25th deadline.
MAKE ME EVEN AND I'LL NEVER GAMBLE AGAIN by Jerrold Fine (Fiction)
Drawing from his own experiences in the turbulent '70s and '80s, hedge fund pioneer Jerrold Fine blends a heartfelt story of a young man fiercely intent on achieving independence with a fascinating insider’s look at the perks and pitfalls of a high-stakes life in the world of financial markets in his debut novel.
Rogers Stout has the gambler’s gifts --- a titanic brain, an uncanny ability to read people, and a risk-taker’s daring. As an apathetic high school student who loves baseball but lacks a 90-mph fastball, he knows that the game does not begin until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand. But his life needs direction.
Everything changes the summer he is invited into the boisterous environment of an investment bank’s trading room, and to a gambling hall dive where he immediately wins big at poker, capturing the attention of his co-workers with his card-playing skills. Intrigued by trading markets, Rogers’ intellectual curiosity takes him to Wharton and then Wall Street, where he faces challenges as an outsider who thinks and acts differently from the white-shoe establishment. With his intuition and prowess, he’s ready to rewrite the rules and tackle markets with a flair that leaves his employers flabbergasted.
Rogers senses opportunity and willingly accepts the challenge that awaits him. He leans heavily on his gut instincts and the unusual cadre of friendships he cultivates, but learns the hard way to be alert to the perils that await him. He longs to prove himself and achieve his goals, yet is torn between the thrill of trading and investing, and pursuing a higher purpose in life. And through it all, he still feels the loss of his mother, who died when he was too young to remember her --- an open wound that refuses to heal.
As Rogers plays his career hand, life plays another. Should he follow the temptress Elsbeth and her ravishing beauty, or Charlotte, his high-spirited first love?
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Jerrold Fine’s bio.
- Click here to visit Jerrold Fine’s website.
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading
Contests and Feature
Summer will be here before you know it! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through August 24th. You will need to check the site to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, May 29th at noon ET.
This year’s prize books include:
Click here to read all the contest details
and see the prize books being awarded in May, June, July and August.
SEND DOWN THE RAIN by Charles Martin (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Adam Verner
Allie is still recovering from the loss of her family’s beloved waterfront restaurant when she loses her second husband to a highway accident. Meanwhile, Joseph has been adrift for many years, unable to come to terms with the trauma of his Vietnam War experiences. When he discovers a mother and her two small children lost in the forest, he helps them get back to their home in Florida. There he will return to his own hometown --- and witness the accident that launches a bittersweet reunion with his childhood sweetheart, Allie. When Joseph offers to help Allie rebuild her restaurant, it seems the flame may reignite --- until a 45-year-old secret from the past begins to emerge, threatening to destroy all hope for their second chance at love. Reviewed by Julianne Holmquist.
OUR KIND OF CRUELTY by Araminta Hall (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Eleanor Matsuura and Nick Hendrix
Mike Hayes fought his way out of a brutal childhood and into a quiet, if lonely, life before he met Verity Metcalf. V taught him about love; in return, Mike has dedicated his life to making her happy. He’s found the perfect home, the perfect job; he’s sculpted himself into the physical ideal V has always wanted. He knows they’ll be blissfully happy together. It doesn’t matter that she hasn’t been returning his emails or phone calls. It doesn’t matter that she says she’s marrying Angus. It’s all just part of the secret game they used to play. If Mike watches V closely, he’ll see the signs. If he keeps track of her every move, he’ll know just when to come to her rescue. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
A SHOUT IN THE RUINS by Kevin Powers (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Robert Petkoff
Spanning over 100 years, from the antebellum era to the 1980s, A SHOUT IN THE RUINS examines the fates of the inhabitants of Beauvais Plantation outside of Richmond, Virginia. When war arrives, the master of Beauvais, Anthony Levallios, foresees that dominion in a new America will be measured not in acres of tobacco under cultivation by his slaves, but in industry and capital. A grievously wounded Confederate veteran loses his grip on a world he no longer understands, and his daughter finds herself married to Levallois, an arrangement that feels little better than imprisonment. And two people enslaved at Beauvais plantation, Nurse and Rawls, overcome impossible odds to be together, only to find that the promise of coming freedom may not be something they will live to see. Reviewed by Sarah Jackman.
PAPER GHOSTS by Julia Heaberlin (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Catherine Taber
An obsessive young woman has been waiting half her life for this moment. Now she is almost certain the man who kidnapped and murdered her sister sits in the passenger seat beside her. Carl Louis Feldman is a documentary photographer who may or may not have dementia --- and may or may not be a serial killer. The young woman claims to be his long-lost daughter. He doesn’t believe her. He claims no memory of murdering girls across Texas. She doesn’t believe him. Determined to find the truth, she lures him out of a halfway house and proposes a dangerous idea: a 10-day road trip to examine cold cases linked to his haunting photographs. Is he a liar or a broken old man? Is he a pathological con artist? Or is she? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
FIELD OF VALOR by Matthew Betley (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
With the full resources of the Justice Department, Intelligence Community and the military (not to mention presidential pardons pre-signed), Logan West must battle a secret organization with the connections and funding to rival many first-world nations. The goal of this organization is both singular and sinister --- to pit the United States against China in a bid to dismantle the world’s security and economy. Back on US soil, Logan and his task force pursue the elusive foe from the woods of northern Virginia to the banks of the Chesapeake Bay, from suburban Maryland across the urban sprawl of Washington, DC. The stakes have never been higher for Logan or America itself. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
RISING STAR, SETTING SUN: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and the Presidential Transition that Changed America by John T. Shaw (History/Politics)
After winning the presidency by a razor-thin victory on November 8, 1960 over Richard Nixon, Dwight D. Eisenhower’s former vice president, John F. Kennedy, became the 35th president of the United States. But beneath the stately veneers of both Ike and JFK, there was a complex and consequential rivalry. In RISING STAR, SETTING SUN, John T. Shaw focuses on the intense 10-week transition between JFK’s electoral victory and his inauguration on January 20, 1961. In just over two months, America would transition into a new age, and nowhere was it more marked than in the generational and personal difference between these two men and their dueling visions for the country they led. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
THE TESTAMENT OF LOKI by Joanne M. Harris (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Allan Corduner
The end of the world has occurred, and Loki has been trapped in a seemingly endless purgatory until he finds a way to escape. Back in the ninth world (Earth), Loki finds himself sharing the mind of a teenage girl named Jumps, who is a bit of a mess. She’s also not happy about Loki sneaking his way into her mind, since she was originally calling on Thor. Worse, her friends have also been co-opted by the gods: Odin, Jump’s one-eyed best friend in a wheelchair, and Freya, the pretty one. Thor escapes the netherworld as well and shares the mind of a dog, and he finds that it suits him. Odin has a plan to bring back the Norse gods ascendancy, but Loki has his own ideas on how things can go --- and nothing goes according to plan. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
A HOWL OF WOLVES by Judith Flanders (Mystery)
Sam Clair figures she’ll be a good sport and spend a night out at the theater in support of her upstairs neighbors, who have small parts in a play in the West End. Her boyfriend Jake Field, a Scotland Yard detective, agrees to tag along to what is apparently an extra-bloody play filled with dramatic, gory deaths galore. But as the curtain opens to the second act, a dummy is hanging from the rafters, who’s been made up to look suspiciously like Campbell Davison, the director of the production. When Sam sees the horrified faces of the actors onstage, she realizes that this is indeed not a dummy, but Davison himself --- and this death is not part of the show. Now everyone wants to know: Who killed Campbell Davison? Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on May 29th
Below are some notable titles releasing on May 29th 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 May 28th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
ANOTHER SIDE OF PARADISE by Sally Koslow (Historical Fiction)
In 1937 Hollywood, gossip columnist Sheilah Graham’s star is on the rise, while literary wonder boy F. Scott Fitzgerald’s career is slowly drowning in booze. But the once-famous author is charismatic enough to attract the gorgeous Miss Graham. A notorious drunk famously married to the doomed Zelda, Fitzgerald fell hard for Sheilah, who would stay with him and help revive his career until his tragic death three years later.
CALYPSO by David Sedaris (Humor/Essays)
When he buys a beach house on the Carolina coast, David Sedaris envisions long, relaxing vacations spent playing board games and lounging in the sun with those he loves most. And life at the Sea Section, as he names the vacation home, is exactly as idyllic as he imagined, except for one tiny, vexing realization: it's impossible to take a vacation from yourself. With CALYPSO, Sedaris sets his formidable powers of observation toward middle age and mortality.
THE DANTE CHAMBER by Matthew Pearl (Historical Mystery)
Five years after a series of Dante-inspired killings disrupted Boston, a man is found murdered in the public gardens of London with an enormous stone around his neck etched with a verse from THE DIVINE COMEDY. When more mysterious murders erupt across the city, all in the style of the punishments Dante memorialized in PURGATORY, poet Christina Rossetti fears that her brother, the Dante-obsessed artist and writer Gabriel Rossetti, will be the next victim.
THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY by Ruth Ware (Psychological Thriller)
On a day that begins like any other, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She realizes very quickly that the letter was sent to the wrong person --- but also that the cold-reading skills she’s honed as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money. Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased…where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the center of it.
THE GRAY GHOST: A Sam and Remi Fargo Adventure by Clive Cussler and Robin Burcell (Thriller/Adventure)
In 1906, a groundbreaking Rolls-Royce prototype known as the Gray Ghost vanishes from the streets of Manchester, England, and it is only the lucky intervention of an American detective named Isaac Bell that prevents it from being lost forever. However, not even he can save the good name of Marcus Peyton, the man wrongly blamed for the theft. More than a hundred years later, it is his grandson who turns to Sam and Remi Fargo to help prove his innocence.
PROBABLE CLAWS: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown (Mystery)
Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen is excited to build a new work shed designed by her dear friend, local architect Gary Gardner. But when Gary is shot to death by a masked motorcyclist, Harry begins to burrow into her friend’s past --- and unearths a pattern of destructive greed reaching far back into Virginia’s post-Revolutionary history. As soon as Harry finds incriminating evidence, the killer strikes again.
SHELTER IN PLACE by Nora Roberts (Romantic Suspense)
It was a typical evening at a mall outside Portland, Maine, until the shooters arrived. The chaos and carnage lasted only eight minutes before the killers were taken down. But for those who lived through it, the effects would last forever. As the survivors slowly heal, find shelter and rebuild, they will discover that another conspirator is lying in wait --- and this time, there might be nowhere safe to hide.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Young Adult Books You Want to Read
Here are this month's books we reviewed on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience:
FATAL THRONE: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All by M.T. Anderson, Candace Fleming, Stephanie Hemphill, Lisa Ann Sandell, Jennifer Donnelly, Linda Sue Park and Deborah Hopkinson (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by a full cast
He was King Henry VIII, a charismatic and extravagant ruler obsessed with both his power as king and with siring a male heir. They were his queens --- six ill-fated women, each bound for divorce, or beheading, or death. Watch spellbound as each of Henry's wives attempts to survive her unpredictable king and his power-hungry court. See the sword flash as fiery Anne Boleyn is beheaded for adultery. Follow Jane Seymour as she rises from bullied court maiden to beloved queen, only to die after giving birth. Feel Catherine Howard's terror as old lovers resurface and whisper vicious rumors to Henry's influential advisors. Experience the heartache of mothers as they lose son after son, heir after heir.
STAY SWEET by Siobhan Vivian (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Bailey Carr
Meade Creamery is the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade, who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best for friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend, Cate, have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew, Grady, arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady has some changes in mind.
MOONRISE by Sarah Crossan (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Adam Sims
Seventeen-year-old Joe hasn't seen his brother in 10 years. Ed didn’t walk out on the family, not exactly. It’s something more brutal. Ed is locked up --- on death row. Now his execution date has been set, and the clock is ticking. Joe is determined to spend those last weeks with his brother, no matter what other people think…and no matter whether Ed committed the crime. But did he? And does it matter, in the end? MOONRISE asks big questions: What value do you place on life? What can you forgive? And just how do you say goodbye?
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Our Latest Poll: Books as Traveling Companions
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Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
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 May 25th to June 8th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of HOW HARD CAN IT BE? by Allison Pearson and US AGAINST YOU by Fredrik Backman.
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Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What
You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
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 May 1st to June 4th at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Ruth Ware's THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY, read by Imogen Church, and Stephen King's THE OUTSIDER, read by Will Patton.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.
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