Weekly Update
September 11, 2026
 September 11, 2026Never Miss a Contest or a Promotion!     We're Back! It is great to be back after a week of vacation when I read and read and read. We literally had NO plans, so it was really lovely to kick it back a huge notch, spend time in the pool, and make fabulous dinners from recipes that I have been saving. Thanks to all of you who sent us notes about our 30th anniversary and to those of you who donated to our GoFundMe campaign, where we are raising funds to redesign our editorial websites. I am working my way through emails and donation notifications. We are so looking forward to working on a fresh new look!    Here are three of the books that I read over the break, noting that there are many more that I dipped into and will be talking about in the weeks to come. This includes a thriller releasing in February 2027 that I read in manuscript and am excited about --- and two others that I will talk about more in-depth later in this newsletter. AMERICAN HAGWON by Min Jin Lee (on sale September 29th) is brilliant and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. As I was reading it, I felt like I knew the families Min Jin created whose lives spread to four continents as part of the Korean diaspora. I learned so much as I was absorbing the story. Every time I sat down to read it, I was more caught up in the lives of the characters and what they had to overcome in trying to reach their dreams. Nothing was easy to navigate. There is a betrayal, passion, and many quests for success. There is a lot to think about concerning hagwons, which are private educational institutions that South Korean students typically attend after school. They work with students as young as kindergarten, and the book examines what these schools are like --- and the pressures that are thrust upon these students to achieve. What truly is success, and what is happiness? I am going to Min Jin's event in Montclair, NJ on September 30th, and I am looking forward to hearing her talk about the book. HOLLOW BONES by Jodi Picoult (on sale September 15th) has a premise that I have often thought about (and I mentioned it to Jodi when I saw her at a publisher lunch for the book earlier this year). Molly Fitzgerald is a crisis management director in Rhode Island. She was two months old when her mother went to the World Trade Center on 9/11 and never returned. She was raised by her father and stepmother, but she also has spent her life anticipating trouble --- and working on trying to keep people safe. She is married to Jesse, a police polygraph expert, and they are at a very special time in their lives when things spin off their axis. The book is told from various viewpoints in various timelines, and it is one compelling read, which can lead to lots of conversation. GREAT AND UNFORTUNATE THINGS was published in August. In this memoir, Jason Arday talks about being nonverbal until he was 12 and unable to write until he was 18. Three people came to be the pillars of his life. He had a powerful mother, Giff, who worked to ensure that he had every opportunity to learn; she was a real tiger on his behalf. Debbie-Ann was a woman he met while working at a sporting goods store. She recognized that he could not read and took him under her wing. She saw someone who she wanted to help and encourage. They married, had two children, and separated in 2019. And Simon, one of his mentors, sought to teach him the ropes of everyday living. I finished reading this book and only then realized that Jason was the Cambridge professor who was accused of plagiarism and was fired from his position in August, which made much news. He took his own life just days later. So many feelings were swirling after I had put this all together. But for those three people who worked so hard to get Jason's life on track, I feel that sincere condolences are in order.   I love audiobooks, not only for car listening, but also for pool workouts. I am much more likely to work out if I have something interesting to listen to. I am on a nonfiction kick right now. I listened to DAD, LOVE, ME by Matthew Quick, which was both poignant and sad. I now am listening to LONDON FALLING: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe, which is a very compelling read. We learn early in the book that Zac Brettler has died, but there is still so much to explore to understand what happened. I see why it has been on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list for 21 weeks, as well as on the audio bestseller list. I have been taking advantage of the Spotify offer that gives subscribers 15 hours of free listening each month.  On Wednesday night, I had such fun interviewing Jonathan Santlofer at [words] Bookstore in Maplewood, NJ about his latest book, TEN PERFECT GUESTS, which has vibes of both Agatha Christie and Patricia Highsmith. I aimed to ask him 10 questions but ended up with 12. We covered a lot of ground, and I will be interviewing him for “Bookreporter Talks To” in the next couple of weeks, asking more than 10 questions. Note that Jonathan drew the illustrations in the book, and he very kindly gifted me one. I am planning to frame it! This is a tight and smart read. We have our review of TEN PERFECT GUESTS this week from Ray Palen, who says, “Being able to figure out everything that is going on seems secondary to the fact that what is taking place is inevitable. So it is best to just strap in and go along for the ride. There are more than a few twists here, including the biggest that is saved for the finale, which is the most enjoyable part of the novel. This diabolical tale will appeal especially to those who enjoy a good, slow burn of a revenge plot that will keep you guessing throughout.” I agree with all of this, especially about the finale! Join Us for Our “Bookaccino Live”  This is your last newsletter reminder to sign up for our “Bookaccino Live” Fall Preview evening event, which we will be hosting on Tuesday, September 15th at 8pm ET. I will be presenting a number of books releasing this fall that we think you will enjoy reading. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction. Click here to sign up.  We hosted this month’s “Bookaccino Live” book preview afternoon event on Wednesday. I talked about 40 books releasing between September 8th and October 6th, along with eight from November, that we wanted to get on your radar. You can watch the presentation here and see a list of the featured titles here.  My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Hank Phillippi Ryan. Her new novel, MOTHER DAUGHTER SISTER STRANGER, is our current New Release Spotlight title and will be a Bets On pick. This multilayered domestic thriller explores family secrets, identity, the meaning of motherhood, and the search for happy endings. The story centers on two sisters, Eliza and Bea Ramsey, the sole survivors of a plane crash that killed their parents. When Bea disappears on the 11th anniversary of the tragedy, Eliza must find Bea while caring for her 11-year-old niece, Piper. The book was inspired by Hank reflecting on lying to her mother as a teenager and then wondering if her mother had also lied to her --- questioning the truth of family history and legacy. Additional creative inspirations came from Hank's mother reading stories aloud and always saying “the end,” prompting Hank to wonder what happened after that. Hank discusses writing in first person as akin to method acting --- fully inhabiting Eliza's perspective --- and describes the “Hank DNA” as stories about smart, savvy women who have the rug pulled out from under them and must reclaim their power. She also talks about the audiobook, which is narrated by Stevi Incremona. Click here to watch the interview or here to listen to the podcast. I will share my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter.  THE WITCHES OF CAMBRIDGE is the start of a brand-new series from Alice Hoffman and is September’s “Read with Jenna” Book Club pick. The book follows two brilliant young women in 1950s Cambridge, Massachusetts, as they become immersed in a mysterious secret group of witches at Radcliffe known as the Lilith Society. Jana Siciliano has our review and says, “Like so many of Hoffman’s soulful tales, it brings together history and fantasy in a unique way. The suspenseful story pulls readers through its trials and tribulations with an easygoing rushing-river flow of excitement, danger, and the deep and abiding love that is required of those who fight the always-encroaching darkness of any time in this planet’s history with purpose and drive.”  Longlisted for the Booker Prize, SWITZY is Emma Cline’s latest novel. This highly anticipated book from the bestselling author of THE GUEST probes the depths of human consciousness, revealing what a man is left with when the accomplishments and compromises that have defined him, and the illusions he's relied on, vanish. Sarah Rachel Egelman has this to say in her review: “Full of literary allusions and word play, language clung to by David but also now escaping him, the narrative flows as he moves slowly but steadily from the moments he continues to linger on, savor, regret and still strive to understand toward his chosen end. SWITZY is a thoughtful, poignant, affecting and finely crafted examination of ordinary life and what may remain at the conclusion of it.” I am looking forward to reading this one.  Harlan Coben offers a look behind the curtain at his own writing process in PLOT TWIST, an inspiring, candid memoir filled with indispensable insights and techniques. Plumbing memories from his suburban childhood and his early years trying to break into publishing, Coben tells his own story for the first time. According to Ray Palen in his review, “One of Coben's personal mantras that stood out to me the most can be directed to any burgeoning writer suffering from the intolerable ailment known as writer’s block: You can always fix bad pages. You can’t fix no pages. So write. Just write. His methods of creating are inspiring, and at no time does it feel like he is claiming that his way is the right way.” I am looking forward to seeing Harlan on Wednesday night in his hometown of Livingston, NJ. Jonah Zimiles, the owner of the aforementioned [words] Bookstore, will be conducting the interview. I will have pictures and more next week!  THE PIRATE QUEEN is a sweeping historical adventure from Ariel Lawhon that is inspired by the life of Grace O’Malley, the legendary Irish folk heroine who risked everything to defend her people. This action-packed novel channels the untamed beauty and harsh realities of 16th-century Ireland, as seen through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine who rightly became “the Pirate Queen of Ireland.” Pamela Kramer has our review and says, “I love historical fiction that is based in fact. So while enjoying a great story, I also am learning about history. Ariel Lawhon is perhaps the queen of historical fiction, so it seems quite fitting that her latest novel is titled THE PIRATE QUEEN… I also must comment on the hardcover itself. From the map to the clan family trees, the quality of the paper and the heft of the whole book, it is quite special and beautifully conceived.” This is a book that I really wanted to delve into over the break. I read a few pages and see why Pamela enjoyed it so much. And she is right about the map! I am looking forward to reading more of it. Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest  Amanda Peters follows up her debut novel, THE BERRY PICKERS, with THE BIRTHING TREE, which is about a woman who must confront her family’s buried truths and memories of passionate young love when her grandmother’s death leaves her as the only guide to her community’s future. We have our review from Jane T. Krebs, who says, “THE BIRTHING TREE may well serve as a metaphor for the life of the Mi’kmaq as it, too, changes yet endures. Amanda Peters vividly shows us the lives of Aliet and her grandmother, and she adds to our understanding of how knowledge and life’s lessons pass from generation to generation --- through stories, memories and small recipe cards smelling of lavender wrapped in twine.” I read this book last week and loved it! For anyone who enjoyed THE BERRY PICKERS, you will want this one on your reading list. I am planning to see Amanda at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ on Monday night, where she will be interviewed by Alice Elliott Dark. Then I will be interviewing Amanda myself next week. And yes, it will be a Bets On selection! Fall Reading Contest Update September’s New in Paperback Feature Books on Screen Offerings for September Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll  UNDER STORY by Chloe Benjamin is September's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick and “Good Morning America” Book Club selection. On their website, “GMA” says that the book “follows biologist Laurel Salter, who is hiding from everything she has ever known at McMurdo Station, an isolated research base in Antarctica, where she works as a dishwasher…. Part love story and part scientific adventure, UNDER STORY explores love, loss and how far people would go for more time with those they love.” We plan to feature our review of the book in two weeks. I think I want to listen to this one as opposed to reading the print book! For more September selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.  Kirkus Reviews has announced the finalists for the 13th annual Kirkus Prize in Fiction, Nonfiction and Young Readers’ Literature. They include COOL MACHINE by Colson Whitehead (Fiction), CATCH THE DEVIL: A True Story of Murder, Deception, and Injustice on the Gulf Coast by Pamela Colloff (Nonfiction), and ANGER IS ONLY A SHADOW by Elizabeth Acevedo (Young Readers’ Literature). Click here for all the nominees. The winners will be announced at an in-person ceremony at the Tribeca Rooftop in New York on Wednesday, October 7th. It also will be livestreamed on Kirkus's YouTube channel at 7:30pm ET.  News & Pop Culture Reader Mail: Rita wrote about winning THE UNSTOPPABLES by David Biro in a Fall Reading contest: “Thank you! I’m saving this book for my trip to France in November!” Roberta wrote, “I was thrilled to win a copy of GOD'S COUNTRY by William Kent Krueger in a Fall Reading contest. He is one of my all-time favorite authors. I am privileged to have seen him three times in person.” Donna wrote, “It was an unexpected pleasure to find A PAIR OF ACES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray in my mailbox. I have read THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN and FIRST LADIES, and I enjoyed them immensely. I look forward to reading this one. Thank you again for the book, but most of all, thank you for your programs, which have introduced me to multiple new authors. May your life be filled with interesting books.” Liz wrote, “Happy anniversary, Carol! I love this community you have built.” Mary Lou wrote, “Have a glorious readerly week off. You so deserve it. I just want to comment that I adore the candid snaps that readers who are winners have begun sending in. Today’s snap made me grin ear to ear with vicarious happiness and also jealousy, to be honest. OMG and the AOL memories. I can hear the dial-up in my brain right now. Back then you were allotted a certain number of minutes a month on AOL. I can’t remember how much, but it wasn’t an indefinite amount. If you went over your minutes, you were charged. It was hard to limit myself to my allotted time, especially due to The Book Report. I didn’t find you in 1996, but I did the following year when my then-boyfriend gifted me my first computer. Those were the days. Sigh. Happy week off, Carol.” Randy wrote, “Happy anniversary, Carol! I loved your story about dial-up modems and broadbands. My home internet cut out for three days recently, so I dusted off my VCR and watched old movies (like Ghost and The War of the Roses). It was fun! Happy 30th, Carol. Imagine all of the authors and books you’ve featured in those 30 years!” Debbie wrote, “Congratulations on your 30th anniversary! I cannot begin to tell you how much your weekly newsletters, monthly 'Bookaccino Live' book previews and, especially, 'Bookaccino Live' Book Group programs mean to me. Reading, meeting and talking to authors mean a lot to me. I consider you and Tom D. to be good friends, even though I have never met either of you! Keep up the great work. You can’t even begin to imagine how many lives you have touched by what you do.” Beverly wrote, “Years ago, I was the moderator of the Hungry Reader’s Book Club, held at the Manville Public Library in Manville, NJ. I looked to you (Bookreporter) for questions for discussion, and my group once was the winner of a book offer (enough books for each of us). That was amazing and fun! Keep up the great work!” “Darks Winds” on Netflix: I am not sure why it took my husband and I so long to watch this series, which is based on Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn & Chee books. The Whisper Man on Netflix: Despite an all-star cast, I felt like this film, which is based on the book of the same name by Alex North, should have been better. When there has to be a press release explaining the ending, there is something wrong! Gloria Steinem on Netflix: “Famous Last Words” is hosted by Emmy Award winner Brad Falchuk. The show is an interview with a well-known figure, with a plan that it be aired only posthumously, allowing “the interviewee to tell their own message after their death.” I had seen a previous piece with Eric Dane but missed an earlier one with Jane Goodall. The format interested me, so when an interview with Gloria Steinem was announced that would be airing right after her death, I was not surprised that it was in this format. It was recorded in September 2025. Note that Steinem's memoir, AN UNEXPECTED LIFE, is coming out on September 22nd. Readers are in for a treat as she recorded the audio version. I will be listening!   Remembering September 11, 2001 on the 25th Anniversary We all have our stories of that tragic day. I have personal memories that come back like it was yesterday. I caught a few minutes of the television coverage and saw a lot of commemorative posts on social media, and they still are tough watching and reading. I remember that the weekend after the attacks we organized a candlelight vigil at our home, inviting the entire neighborhood. People wanted to leave their homes to come together. I also thought a lot about how to explain the attacks to those who were born in the past 25 years. I read that over 30% of Americans were born after 9/11. In our town today, the middle-school children sang the national anthem at a ceremony at town hall. Throughout the week, I have seen people asking for recommendations for books about 9/11. While there are many that I have read, two have really stayed with me. The first is THE DAY THE WORLD CAME TO TOWN: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede. Many of you may be familiar with the Broadway show Come from Away that follows this storyline. Jim was a guest for a “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event that we hosted in 2021, and he was fabulous. You can watch it here or listen to it here. The second is the audiobook of THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY, written by Garrett M. Graff and read by a full 45-person cast, which is now available in a revised and expanded edition for the 25th anniversary. If anyone has a family member who was not alive or was too young to recall what happened that day, I highly recommend this book. It is “the first comprehensive oral history of September 11, 2001 --- a panoramic narrative woven from voices on the front lines of an unprecedented national trauma. Featuring an audio exclusive interview with Garrett Graff and Holter Graham and three new essays in this revised and expanded edition.” On Monday, Editorial Director Tom (as opposed to Husband Tom) and I were talking about having a better work/life balance. He achieved this on Tuesday night by watching one of the US Open quarterfinal matches until 3:30am. I watched until a little after midnight, but then I kept waking up all night looking at the score on my phone. There is a picture of people on the subway platform at 4am waiting to go home, and it looks like rush hour. They really should rethink what time they start the night matches. Aside from watching the US Open finals, there are no weekend plans on the agenda except potting some fall plants and repotting amaryllis bulbs. Next week will be really busy, and I am trying to rest up! And, of course, get more of the great fall reading done. To those who are celebrating Rosh Hashanah this weekend, we wish you a very happy New Year! Read on, and have a great week. Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com) P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site for shopping, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop/IndieBound. As you read our reviews and features, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy! Featured Review:  THE WITCHES OF CAMBRIDGE by Alice Hoffman (Historical Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: SWITZY by Emma Cline  SWITZY by Emma Cline (Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: PLOT TWIST by Harlan Coben  PLOT TWIST: Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft: A Memoir on Writing by Harlan Coben (Memoir) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: THE PIRATE QUEEN by Ariel Lawhon  THE PIRATE QUEEN by Ariel Lawhon (Historical Thriller/Adventure) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: THE BIRTHING TREE by Amanda Peters  THE BIRTHING TREE by Amanda Peters (Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. THE BIRTHING TREE will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Featured Review:  TEN PERFECT GUESTS by Jonathan Santlofer (Psychological Thriller) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Bookreporter.com's 16th Annual  Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. In our Fall Reading Contests and Feature, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about this fall. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through mid-October, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here. Our next prize book will be THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah, a #1 bestseller and Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that is at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided. The contest will be up at noon ET on the days of its paperback release, Tuesday, September 15th.
Click here to read all the contest details    September’s New in Paperback Roundups
September's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes Kristin Hannah's #1 New York Times bestseller, THE WOMEN, which is at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided; THE SECRET OF SECRETS, the sixth entry in Dan Brown’s iconic series starring esteemed professor of symbology Robert Langdon, who uncovers a shocking truth about a secret project that will forever change the way we think about the human mind; Charlotte McConaghy's WILD DARK SHORE, a novel of breathtaking twists and dizzying beauty about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us disappears; and BUCKEYE by Patrick Ryan, a sweeping novel that weaves the intimate lives of two midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late 20th century.
Our nonfiction highlights include BOOK OF LIVES, “a memoir of sorts” in which Margaret Atwood unfolds the story of her life, linking key moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape; ALL THE WAY TO THE RIVER, a landmark memoir from Elizabeth Gilbert that will resonate with anyone who has ever been captive to love --- or to any other passion, substance or craving --- and who yearns for liberation; FINDING MY WAY, in which Malala Yousafzai takes us beyond the headlines in a vulnerable, surprising memoir that buzzes with authenticity, sharp humor and tenderness; and MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME, a memoir like no other that traces Arundhati Roy's complex relationship with her mother, Mary Roy, a fierce and formidable force who shaped Arundhati’s life as both a woman and a writer.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
August 31st, September 7th, September 14th, September 21st and September 28th.    September’s Books on Screen Feature
Here is a preview of this month's movies, TV shows and DVDs/Blu-rays that are based on books. For a complete list of September's offerings, please click here.
Film Releases
Practical Magic 2 Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie Series Premieres "Marble Hall Murders" (6-episode limited series) "Neagley" Season Premieres "R.J. Decker" "Slow Horses" "Outlander: Blood of My Blood" Season Finales "The Walking Dead: Dead City" "Reacher" Ongoing Series "Anna Pigeon" "Dark Matter" On DVD and Blu-ray Two Prosecutors Click here to see our Books on Screen feature for September.    Our Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for SeptemberEach month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads. We also feature a number of other prominent selections, including the Barnes & Noble Book Club, the “Good Morning America” Book Club, Oprah’s Book Club, the PBS Books Readers Club, the “Read with Jenna” Book Club, Reese's Book Club, and the Target Book Club. Below is a preview of September's “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks.” For the complete Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, as well as additional links pertaining to this month's selections, please click here. Indie Next LibraryReads Barnes & Noble Book Club "Good Morning America" Book Club Oprah's Book Club PBS Books Readers Club "Read with Jenna" Book Club Reese's Book Club Target Book Club Click here for September's Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks.    More Reviews This WeekAGRIPPA: A Novel of Ancient Rome's Descent into Dictatorship by Robert Harris (Historical Thriller) HEART OF GLASS by Jennifer Hillier (Psychological Thriller) QUEENIE IS WORKING ON IT by Candice Carty-Williams (Fiction) LIFE OF M by Rachel Cusk (Fiction) BRAIN DAMAGE by Freida McFadden (Psychological Thriller) THE CRYING KILLER by Jess Lourey (Domestic Thriller) THEM by W.H. Chizmar (Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction/Horror) DEVIL INSIDE by Clay McLeod Chapman (Paranormal Horror/Romance) THINK LIKE A DOG: How Positive Psychology Can Help Your Dog Thrive by Dr. Jen Golbeck, PhD (Psychology/Personal Growth) BLOOD, RUST, AND STEEL by Stuart MacBride (Thriller)   
Next Week's Notables:
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