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If a book group was brand new, what book would you suggest that they start with? We posed this question to our readers, and you came up with some terrific ideas. Many thanks to all who shared their recommendations with us; as always, your feedback is much appreciated!

After writing 12 novels set in the Victorian Era, Tasha Alexander shifts to the Edwardian Age in the latest installment of her Lady Emily mystery series, UNEASY LIES THE CROWN. Here, Lady Emily and her husband Colin must stop a serial killer whose sights may be set on the new king, Edward VII. In her blog post, Tasha talks about changing time periods and the challenges it posed; as she says, “[A]fter spending most of my adult life researching Victorian England, the period is as comfortable to me as a much-loved cashmere sweater: cozy, familiar and reassuring.” She also sheds some light on Edward VII’s reign and explains some of the key differences between the Victorians and Edwardians.

Spread throughout the grounds of the State Capitol and along Austin’s iconic Congress Avenue, the 23rd annual Texas Book Festival took place on October 27th and 28th. Founded in 1995 by Laura W. Bush, a former librarian and then First Lady of Texas, along with Mary Margaret Farabee and a dedicated group of volunteers, the Festival set out to honor Texas authors, promote the joys of reading, and benefit the state’s public libraries. The first Festival took place in November 1996 and has grown into one of the nation’s premier literary events. Nancy Sharko, one of our readers, was at the Festival and attended eight panels, featuring such authors as Chloe Benjamin, Sarah Smarsh, Casey Gerald, Tommy Orange and R.O. Kwon. In this blog post, Nancy reports on her three favorite sessions.