Skip to main content

April 13, 2007

Bookreporter.com Newsletter

April 13, 2007

This Week on Bookreporter.com

Scientific Musings and Hard Writing Facts

Bookreporter.com Talks to Karen Robards, Author of OBSESSION

Bookreporter.com Talks to Beverly Barton, Author of THE DYING GAME

New Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Barry Eisler, Author of REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN

2007 Spring Baseball Roundup

Featured One to Watch Author: Monica Pradhan, Author of THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB

Featured One to Watch Author: Cathy Lamb, Author of JULIA'S CHOCOLATES

Featured Southern Writers Author: Paula Wall, Author of THE WILDE WOMEN

Featured Historical Fiction Author: Conn Iggulden, Author of GENGHIS: BIRTH OF AN EMPIRE

Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Stephen White, Author of DRY ICE

Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Wendy Corsi Staub, Author of DON'T SCREAM

Author Talk: Robin Gold, Author of THE PERFECTLY TRUE TALES OF A PERFECT SIZE 12

This Week's Reviews and Features

Poll and Question of the Week

Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading --- THREE Prizes!

Quick Links to Features On The Book Report Network
 
Bookreporter.com
Past Reviews
Can't See the Graphics? Read This Newsletter Online
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Promotion
Debut Suspense/Thriller One to Watch Promotion
Mystery Mayhem Promotion

Historical Fiction Promotion

One to Watch Promotion
Books Into Movies
Bestseller Lists
Coming Soon
New in Paperback
ReadingGroupGuides.com

Scientific Musings and Hard Writing Facts

Given the cool weather of April, I think I have an exciting scientific discovery to share. If it's unseasonably warm in January, it will be unseasonably cold in April. I think there are a set number of hot and cold days in the year and they just get distributed in different ways each year. Seriously. It's the same theory I have about gaining and losing weight. I think there are a set number of pounds in this world and when someone gains or loses, someone else does the opposite. Full disclosure here: I never got an A in science and I always got A's in English, but I do think this is definitely a real possibility. Maybe I should write a book about this.
 
 
A book on a subject very close to my heart came across my desk this week called SEND: The Essential Guide to Email for Office and Home. As someone who gets somewhere between 200-300 pieces of email every day, I opened this book with eagerness. I love email. One practical reason: I have horrible handwriting. A few years ago one of my sons' teachers asked what kind of doctor I was. That kind of writing. So I love email. But people writing ME email can make me crazy. I hate a) mail without subject lines, b) mail where the copy inside has something vital, but it's labeled something else in the subject line since someone is answering an old mail, c) mail with glaring typos that make it unreadable, d) writing in colors, colored backgrounds and large fonts. And I can do e-z probably 12 times over on other things that bother me as well.
 
 
Thus I found myself reading this book saying YES, YES, YES and thinking about all the people who I want to read it. I could send MANY people copies with pages highlighted on what they should read. I will send the authors, David Shipley and Will Schwalbe, an email to tell them how much I liked it. Trust that this piece of email will be proofread many times and I will give great thought to my subject line!
 
 
Sad news this week about the death of Kurt Vonnegut. His writing and persona is one that the literary world will sorely miss. Bookreporter.com's co-founder, Jesse Kornbluth, who now has a terrific website called HeadButler.com, writes a personal tribute that you can read here. As soon as I heard the news, I knew Jesse would have something perfect to share with readers about Vonnegut.
 
 
When I was in Charlottesville a few weeks ago I met Barry Eisler, an author whose name I knew but whose work I was unfamiliar with. On vacation last week I read his upcoming thriller, REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN, which is in stores on May 22nd, and I loved it. After I finished it, I made a list of his backlist titles that I want to read NOW, and then wrote him to tell him how much I enjoyed it. I am excited to share that he is our latest Suspense/Thriller author. Eisler's character, John Rain, is a hired assassin with a conscience. He is known for making a kill that looks like it's natural. In this book he is contracted to kill three people to save the life of one of his friends. There's great action, tight plotting and terrific character development on this one. We have 20 SIGNED advance reading copies to give away to readers who want to enter to win a copy. Send your name and your mailing address to SuspenseThriller@bookreporter.com by April 27th to enter to win one.
 
 
In this week's lineup we also are bringing you advance reader comments on Masha Hamilton's THE CAMEL BOOKMOBILE and Stephen White's DRY ICE. We also have a review of KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL by Deborah Rodriguez, a memoir that I read a couple of months ago and just loved, about Rodriguez's life in Afghanistan where she taught women hairdressing and empowered them to open their own hair salons. Her story has stayed with me and I am delighted to share that it resonated the same way with our reviewer, Jana Siciliano. Diane Sawyer interviewed her this week in Afghanistan, and my mom, who had just finished the book, reported it was a great segment on "Good Morning America."
 
 
Sophie Kinsella is an author whose books make me laugh and smile, thus I was happy to see that she has done an eight-segment vodcast (videos online are vodcasts while audios are podcasts) talking about her books. The first three segments are available here with five to follow in the weeks to come. I love the way she says the word "shopaholic" in her delightful British accent. I will probably now affect her voice for the next 15 minutes since it's completely chipper and delightful
 
 
As for my weekend. I am reading PEONY IN LOVE (on sale June 26) by Lisa See, whose last book, SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN, remains one of my favorites. The voice and tone of this one is much the same and thus I am looking forward to curling up with it this weekend. It's been a busy week so I have been reading pages at a time instead of chapters and it's really tugging at me to have more time for it. I also am putting the finishing touches on the hat boxes for our Mother's Day promotion, which starts next week, and I am knitting a skirt. I am about 10 rows in and I realize the ribbing on the bottom is not right, thus I can see myself doing some unraveling in the next few hours. Somehow I have no problem undoing when it just does not feel right. It's my version of rewriting the plot.
 
 
Have a great weekend...and I am shocked I got to here without mentioning it's Friday, the 13th. Be careful out there.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

List of titles reviewed and featured on April 13th.
Click here to listen to Sophie Kinsella's Vodcast.
 

Bookreporter.com Talks to Karen Robards, Author of OBSESSION

In this interview conducted by Bookreporter.com's Jen Krieger, Karen Robards --- whose 34th book is OBSESSION --- discusses various aspects of her writing process, such as mapping out finer details within the grander scale of her work and how she plans the plots of her novels around her characters instead of vice versa. She also explains why she likes to inject humor into all of her stories and shares a memorable encounter with one of her many fans.

OBSESSION by Karen Robards (Romantic Suspense)
Bestselling author Karen Robards proves herself a master of blending suspense, thrills and romance with OBSESSION. Katharine Lawrence's search for the key to her identity becomes a matter of life and death in Robards's expertly plotted and deliciously fun read. Reviewed by Jen Krieger.

Read more about Karen Robards and OBSESSION on her website www.KarenRobards.com.

Click here to read our interview with Karen Robards and a review of OBSESSION.
 

Bookreporter.com Talks to Beverly Barton, Author of THE DYING GAME

Bestselling author Beverly Barton has written over 60 books, including CLOSE ENOUGH TO KILL, KILLING HER SOFTLY and THE LAST TO DIE. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Hillary Wagy, Barton discusses how she became inspired to write her latest novel, THE DYING GAME, and explains the motivations and inner workings behind its main characters, Judd Walker and Lindsay McAllister. She also talks about the difficulty she experiences when writing violent scenes, shares her thoughts on one of the key elements of the romance novel and reveals what she has in store for two secondary characters in a future work.

THE DYING GAME by Beverly Barton (Romantic Suspense)
The victims are former beauty queens, each found with a single rose. It's a scene Detective Lindsay McAllister knows all too well from her rookie days in Chattanooga. She also knows the dead are not the only victims. She has seen grief ravage those left behind, in particular, lawyer Judd Walker. Nevertheless, Lindsay now has to dig deep into painful memories to convince Judd that his wife's killer has struck again. Reviewed by Hillary Wagy.

Click here to read our interview with Beverly Barton and a review of THE DYING GAME.


 

New Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Barry Eisler, Author of REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN

We are thrilled to be shining our Suspense/Thriller spotlight on Barry Eisler, whose latest addition to his popular John Rain series, REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN, hits stores May 22nd.

We have 20 signed advance reading copies of REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN to give to readers who would like to preview and comment on the book. Interested? Send your name and mailing address to SuspenseThriller@bookreporter.com by April 27th to enter.

More about REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN:
If you had to kill three people to save your best friend's life, would you do it?

When John Rain decides to get out of the business, his hand is forced by rogue CIA operative Jim Hilger. Hilger kidnaps Dox, Rain's trusted partner and closest friend, and offers Rain a choice: carry out a final assignment, or bear the responsibility for Dox's murder.

For a professional like John Rain, the choice ought to be easy: Do the job --- a series of three hits --- then walk away. But how does Rain know Jim Hilger won't kill Dox anyway, once the assignment is complete? How does he know that each of the hits isn't simultaneously a setup for Rain himself? And what will he do when he finds out that among the targets of this lethal game of extortion is someone else Rain cares about deeply?

Click here to read more about Barry Eisler and REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN.


 

2007 Spring Baseball Roundup

In 1982, Thomas Boswell of The Washington Post published HOW LIFE IMITATES THE WORLD SERIES, a collection of his baseball columns. Since there are many aspects of life reflected within the national pastime, it was an apt title. But consider another analogy: The national pastime can be found in myriad "disciplines" --- from art to music, from film to literature, and from math to science. So in that regard, baseball imitates school. Bookreporter.com’s Ron Kaplan describes what a typical curriculum might look like, with the help of eight newly released baseball-themed books.

Click here to read our 2007 Spring Baseball Roundup.


 

Featured One to Watch Author: Monica Pradhan, Author of THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB

Our newest featured One to Watch author is the exceptionally talented Monica Pradhan. Her debut title is THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB --- an elegant tapestry of East and West, peppered with food and ceremony, wisdom and sensuality --- which hits stores on May 1st.


-Click here to read an excerpt from THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB:
For decades they have remained close, sharing treasured recipes, honored customs, and the challenges of women shaped by ancient ways yet living modern lives. They are the Hindi-Bindi Club, a nickname given by their American daughters to the mothers who left India to start anew --- daughters now grown and facing struggles of their own.

Click here to read more about Monica Pradhan and THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB.


 

Featured One to Watch Author: Cathy Lamb, Author of JULIA'S CHOCOLATES

We are so excited to be featuring Cathy Lamb as one of our One to Watch authors. Cathy's deliciously funny, heartfelt and moving debut is JULIA'S CHOCOLATES, which hits stores on April 24th.

-Click here to read a new excerpt from JULIA'S CHOCOLATES.
-Click here to see our 25 advance copy winners.

More about JULIA'S CHOCOLATES:
From the moment Julia Bennett leaves her abusive Boston fiancé at the altar and her ugly wedding dress hanging from a tree in South Dakota, she knows she’s driving away from the old Julia, but what she’s driving toward is as messy and undefined as her own wounded soul. The old Julia dug her way out of a tortured, trailer park childhood with a monster of a mother. The new Julia will be found at her Aunt Lydia’s rambling, hundred-year-old farmhouse outside Golden, Oregon.

Filled with warmth, love, and truth, JULIA’S CHOCOLATES is an unforgettable novel of hope and healing that explores the hurts we keep deep in our hearts, the love that liberates us, the courage that defines us, and the chocolate that just might take us there.

Click here to read more about Cathy Lamb and JULIA'S CHOCOLATES.


 
Featured Southern Writers Author: Paula Wall, Author of THE WILDE WOMEN

We are thrilled to be kicking off our inaugural Southern Writers Author Spotlight with Paula Wall, the national bestselling author of THE ROCK ORCHARD. In THE WILDE WOMEN --- coming out April 17th --- Paula brings her signature charm and wit to the tale of two sisters with a talent for seduction and the unfortunate habit of falling for the wrong man every time.

-Click here to read a new excerpt from THE WILDE WOMEN.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
-Click here to see Paula Wall's backlist.
-Click here to read fast facts about Paula Wall.

More about THE WILDE WOMEN:
The Wilde sisters dove headfirst into this world on fire with life and expectation. With hair black as midnight and eyes blazing blue, they grow into truly irresistible women. But as well as being blessed with beauty and determination, the Wilde sisters are cursed with equal tastes for mischief and bad men. And both of these appetites always lead to trouble. Love either lifts a woman up or drags her down. When a Wilde woman dies, they don't have to dig a hole.

On Black Friday in Five Points, Tennessee, Pearl Wilde finds her sister, Kat, in the barn wearing both her favorite shoes and her fiancé. As quick to fury as she is to passion, Pearl leaves town immediately. She returns five years later a sophisticated femme fatale, with her claws sharpened like stainless steel and a demeanor so cool that the townspeople can no longer tell if she even has sweat glands. Slowly and deliberately, Pearl begins her revenge on Kat by captivating all the men of Five Points, but all the while never forgetting the one man who had the power to break her heart.

In THE WILDE WOMEN, Paula Wall once again bewitches the reader with humor, sass, smarts, and sensuality, creating a hilarious and beguiling world where sometimes the best revenge is forgiveness.

Click here to read more about Paula Wall and THE WILDE WOMEN.
 

Featured Historical Fiction Author: Conn Iggulden, Author of GENGHIS: BIRTH OF AN EMPIRE

We are thrilled to spotlight Conn Iggulden as our newest featured Historical Fiction author. The acclaimed author of the Emperor novels, Iggulden is a master of the historical fiction genre. In his latest work, GENGHIS: Birth of an Empire, which hits stores on May 1st, he tackles the fascinating persona and compelling legacy of Genghis Khan.

-Click here to read an excerpt from GENGHIS.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
-Click here to read fast facts about Conn Iggulden.
-Click here to see Conn Iggulden's bio.
-Click here to visit Conn Iggulden's website, ConnIggulden.com.

More about GENGHIS:
He was born Temujin, the son of a khan, raised in a clan of hunters migrating across the rugged steppe. Temujin’s young life was shaped by a series of brutal acts: the betrayal of his father by a neighboring tribe and the abandonment of his entire family cruelly left to die on the harsh plain. But Temujin endured—and from that moment on, he was driven by a singular fury: to survive in the face of death, to kill before being killed, and to conquer enemies who could come without warning from beyond the horizon.

Through a series of courageous raids against the Tartars, Temujin’s legend grew. And so did the challenges he faced --- from the machinations of a Chinese ambassador to the brutal abduction of his young wife, Borte. Blessed with ferocious courage, it was the young warrior’s ability to learn, to imagine, and to judge the hearts of others that propelled him to greater and greater power. Until Temujin was chasing a vision: to unite many tribes into one, to make the earth tremble under the hoofbeats of a thousand warhorses, to subject unknown nations and even empires to his will.

Click here to read more about Conn Iggulden and GENGHIS.


 

Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Stephen White, Author of DRY ICE

Already an established master of the suspense/thriller genre, Stephen White is a clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author of KILL ME, MISSING PERSONS, BLINDED, THE BEST REVENGE, COLD CASE and PRIVILEGED INFORMATION. In DRY ICE --- which came out March 6th --- he reintroduces readers to psychologist Alan Gregory, who first appeared in PRIVILEGED INFORMATION. Faithful readers of the series and newcomers alike will be mesmerized by this searing view into the revered doctor’s heart --- with a haunting conclusion that will secure DRY ICE's place as the most memorable of White’s novels.

-Click here to read advance reader comments for Stephen White.
-Click here to read our interview with Stephen White.
-Click here to read a review of DRY ICE.
-Click here to read an excerpt from DRY ICE.
-Click here to see Stephen White's backlist.
-Click here to read Stephen White's bio.
-Read more on Stephen White's website, www.authorstephenwhite.com.
-Click here to see our book winners.

DRY ICE by Stephen White (Thriller)
New York Times bestselling author Stephen White brings back his popular character, Boulder, Colorado psychologist Alan Gregory, to take on the sociopathic killer from White's first novel --- who, many years later, has walked away from a mental hospital, hungry for revenge. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub. 

Click here to read more about Stephen White and DRY ICE.


 

Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Wendy Corsi Staub, Author of DON'T SCREAM

The critically acclaimed, award-winning author of over sixty books, Wendy Corsi Staub is a New York Times bestseller who has perfected the art of delivering sexy, scary thrills. Her newest, DON'T SCREAM, hits shelves on April 24th and is sure to satisfy old fans and garner her new ones as well.

-Click here to read a new excerpt from DON'T SCREAM.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
-Click here to read fast facts about Wendy Corsi Staub.
-Click here to read Wendy Corsi Staub's backlist.
-Click here to visit Wendy Corsi Staub's website, WendyCorsiStaub.com.

More about DON'T SCREAM:
Don’t Tell A Soul…
In a remote, heavily wooded area near the Berkshires of Massachusetts, Rachel Lorant died on her birthday. But she didn’t die alone. That night, her four sorority sisters make a solemn, trembling pledge. They will never reveal what has just happened in those woods --- ever. Instead, they will take their terrible secret to their graves…

Don’t Think About The Past…
Now, ten years later, their secret is coming back to haunt them as each receives a card in the mail from Rachel: “Happy Birthday to Me. xoxo R.” It’s clear that someone knows what happened that night. Someone is stalking them and sending mysterious, chilling gifts that only they can understand --- deadly warnings of what is to come. For the sins of the past have come back with a vengeance, and a killer will see that they all pay in blood…

And Whatever You Do—Don’t Scream…
Brynn Costello has never felt such pure fear. She didn’t want any part in what happened so long ago, but now, the mother of two will do anything to stay alive and protect her family --- even if it means matching wits with a killer she can’t see…a twisted psychopath who is closer than she thinks and who is saving her death for last...

Click here to read more about Wendy Corsi Staub and DON'T SCREAM.
 

Author Talk: Robin Gold, Author of THE PERFECTLY TRUE TALES OF A PERFECT SIZE 12

In this interview, Robin Gold --- author of THE PERFECTLY TRUE TALES OF A PERFECT SIZE 12 --- credits both the "idea fairy" and people-watching in New York as inspiration for story ideas, and describes the "therapeutic" effect that writing has had on her throughout her life. She also discusses the difficulties of labeling books for marketing purposes, sheds light on her novel's social commentary (or lack thereof) and shares some of her life's passions --- such as her family, the theater, avocados and Sayid from the television show "Lost."

THE PERFECTLY TRUE TALES OF A PERFECT SIZE 12 by Robin Gold (Fiction)
In Robin Gold's hilarious debut, Delilah White --- the perfect hostess of everyone's favorite home show, "Domestic Bliss" --- finds her perfect size-12 self in line for the biggest promotion of her career and discovers that sometimes it takes the warrior within to make the bliss without. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.


Read more about Robin Gold and THE PERFECTLY TRUE TALES OF A PERFECT SIZE 12 on her website, www.RobinGold.com.

Click here to read an interview with Robin Gold and a review of THE PERFECTLY TRUE TALES OF A PERFECT SIZE 12.


 

This Week's Reviews and Features

I HEARD THAT SONG BEFORE by Mary Higgins Clark (Psychological Thriller)
Mary Higgins Clark's newest novel is a cross between a psychological thriller and a love story that is imbued with the notions of loyalty, betrayal and the uncovering of deadly secrets. She takes readers deep into the mysteries of the human mind, where memories may be the most dangerous things of all. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

-Click here to read an excerpt from
I HEARD THAT SONG BEFORE

WE SHALL NOT SLEEP by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
With war finally coming to an end, leaving millions dead and the landscape of Europe forever changed, Anne Perry concludes her World War I spy/mystery saga featuring the dedicated Reavley family. This five-book series paints the themes of honor, loyalty, betrayal, heroism, good and evil on the large canvas of world war, but it also develops storylines of daily life on the battlefields and at home. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord

-Click here to read an excerpt from WE SHALL NOT SLEEP

 
MY FATHER'S SECRET WAR by Lucinda Franks (Memoir)
In this moving and compelling memoir, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Lucinda Franks discovers that the remote, nearly impassive man she grew up with had in fact been a daring spy behind enemy lines in World War II. MY FATHER'S SECRET WAR is an intimate account of Franks coming to know her own father after years of estrangement. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

-Click here to read an excerpt from MY FATHER'S SECRET WAR.
-Read more about Lucinda Franks and MY FATHER'S SECRET WAR on her website, www.LucindaFranks.com.

 
THE POST-BIRTHDAY WORLD by Lionel Shriver (Fiction)
Lionel Shriver, the Orange Prize-winning author of the international bestseller WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, delivers an imaginative and entertaining look at the implications, large and small, of whom we choose to love. Using a playful parallel-universe structure, THE POST-BIRTHDAY WORLD follows one woman's future as it unfolds under the influence of two drastically different men. Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol.

 
EINSTEIN: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson (Biography)
In EINSTEIN: His Life and Universe, Walter Isaacson tries to do two things: humanize Albert Einstein the man and explain as clearly as possible what he accomplished in physics and cosmology. This detailed biography is largely free of the self-interest that has colored books by those who knew and worked with Einstein during his long and celebrated career. Reviewed by Robert Finn.

 
KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil by Deborah Rodriguez (Memoir)
Deborah Rodriguez, a hairdresser and mother of two from Michigan, moves to Afghanistan and opens up a beauty school that changes the lives of those living in this war-torn nation for the better. With warmth and humor, she details the lushness of a seemingly desolate region and reveals the magnificence behind the burqa. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

 
LONE CREEK by Neil McMahon (Fiction)
After a failed career and marriage in California, Hugh Davoren is back in Helena, Montana, as a construction hand at the old Pettyjohn Ranch. But a grisly discovery while on the job and a further probe into the matter only pushes Hugh into dangerous corners, as he learns that the ranch's slick new owner and his beautiful wife have terrible secrets to keep. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

 
FRESH DISASTERS: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods (Thriller)
In Stuart Woods's 13th Stone Barrington novel, the cop-turned-lawyer embarks on his most dangerous adventure yet when he is strong-armed into representing a sleazy and clueless con man --- and ends up getting embroiled in the underworld of the New York mafia. Reviewed by Marge Fletcher.

 
THE LAND OF MANGO SUNSETS by Dorothea Benton Frank (Fiction)
In THE LAND OF MANGO SUNSETS, Dorothea Benton Frank gives readers one woman's journey toward a hard-won truth --- life isn't always what it appears to be, and the sooner you realize that pride won't keep you warm at night, the happier you'll be. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

 
THE DEAD ROOM by Heather Graham (Paranormal Thriller)
A year ago, archaeologist Leslie MacIntyre barely survived the explosion that took the life of her fiancé. In the long months since, she has slowly come to terms not only with her loss but with her unsettling new ability to communicate with ghosts. Now she has returned to lower Manhattan's historic Hastings House, site of the explosion, to conquer her fears and investigate a newly discovered burial ground. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

 
WITHERING HEIGHTS: An Ellie Haskell Mystery by Dorothy Cannell (Mystery)
First introduced to readers in 1984's THE THIN WOMAN, Ellie Haskell has since --- over the course of 11 delightfully cozy mysteries --- gained a husband, three children, a career and a real penchant for crime solving. But in WITHERING HEIGHTS, Ellie's old demons come back to haunt her in what could be her toughest case yet. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

 
VINNIE’S HEAD by Marc Lecard (Mystery)
Small-time Long Island criminal Johnnie LoDuco gets involved in a credit card scam with his childhood buddy, Vinnie McCloskey-Schmidt, that will make them rich for life. The only problem is that, while out fishing one day, Johnnie reels in the biggest catch of his life: Vinnie's head on the end of the fishing line. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

Click here to read our reviews and features


 

Poll and Question of the Week

Which of the following best describes how often you go to a bookstore?

-Once or more a week
-Once every two weeks
-Once every three weeks
-Once a month
-Every couple of months
-Every six months
-Once a year
-Less than once a year
-I do not go to bookstores.

-Click here to answer our Poll.

 
Question:
What were the last books (name up to 3) that you bought in a bookstore?

-Click here to answer our Question of the Week

 

Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading --- THREE Prizes!

Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.

This week we have three great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of SIMPLE GENIUS by David Baldacci, THE WOODS by Harlan Coben and LONE CREEK by Neil McMahon.

Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on April 27th.

Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.

 

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

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

Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by April 30, 2007 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: BODY SURFING by Anita Shreve, THE GOOD HUSBAND OF ZEBRA DRIVE by Alexander McCall Smith, I HEARD THAT SONG BEFORE by Mary Higgins Clark, LACED: A Regan Reilly Mystery by Carol Higgins Clark, and THE WOODS by Harlan Coben. Last month's newsletter winner was Nancy from Portsmouth, RI who won DADDY'S GIRL by Lisa Scottoline, DRY ICE by Stephen White, OBSESSION: An Alex Delaware Novel, by Jonathan Kellerman, QUEEN OF BROKEN HEARTS by Cassandra King and WHAT THE DEAD KNOW by Laura Lippman.


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

The Book Report Network
250 W. 57th Street - Suite 1228
New York, New York 10107