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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
November 23, 2007
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Let the Shopping Begin
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Thanksgiving was a big celebration around our house this year, and I loved it. I come from a small family with just one sister who lives in Atlanta, so it's tough to make a family holiday big without lots of flying, and she never comes in for Thanksgiving. My parents live nearby so they joined us. We also have some great neighbors who I never get to spend enough time with, so this holiday provided the perfect time to make that happen. We gathered, ate, laughed (a lot) and somehow doing this made me think of the Pilgrim celebration, people just coming together to celebrate and spend time together. I mused a past turkey near disaster in a blog earlier this week. You can read it here.
My limit on turkey is as follows: one morning of standing at the fridge tasting a bit of all the leftovers (stuffing for breakfast is a true love of mine), one or two turkey club sandwiches (with bacon) and one evening of leftovers. Beyond that, I cannot look at this meal until next year! Thus I was happy to dole out the leftovers last night. There were lots of plastic containers packed up.
Now that we are emerging from what I am calling "turkey-satiated stupor," it is time for holiday shopping. Thanksgiving happened so early this year that I have not worked myself into a whole lather about holiday shopping yet. In fact the idea of decorating the house for Christmas is paralyzing me, but if it's warm this weekend I am going to seize the moment. I have learned all too well that one must take opportunity for such matters lest I find myself outside decorating in the snow.
Looking to get started on holiday shopping? We have great lists of ideas in our Holiday Basket of Cheer and What to Give/What to Get features. Great shopping is just a click away. Our featured Holiday Basket of Cheer book this week is AN IRISH CHRISTMAS by Melody Carlson. Set in the early 1960s, this story interweaves history, family secrets, faith themes and the beautiful settings of Ireland, as it promises redemption and forgiveness for those who have failed in some way in the past.
In between cooking this week I have been reading a terrific memoir called THE MIDDLE PLACE by Kelly Corrigan, which will be in stores in January. I am going to use the copy from the cover that truly talks about why I love it. "THE MIDDLE PLACE is about calling home. Instinctively. Even when all the paperwork --- marriage license, a notarized deed, two birth certificates and seven years of tax returns --- clearly indicates you are an adult, but all the same, there you are, clutching the phone and thanking God that you're still somebody's daughter." I love this book. Corrigan has a great voice. It's just wonderful.
I also love holiday books, and beyond delving into our Holiday Cheer titles I read THE CHRISTMAS PEARL by Dorothea Benton Frank. I saw her last week at the National Book Awards, and she shared the story that inspired the book. There was a holiday when she realized her family had lost complete sight of the meaning of gathering together. It's fun reading and there's a good message to all of us inside it as well.
USA Today ran a piece about Anna Quindlen's new book, GOOD DOG. STAY., about dogs, which you can read here. They asked me about my thoughts on the dog-themed books out there, and I was not kidding when I told them I feel like I should be barking. I will say I am endlessly humored by THE DANGEROUS BOOK FOR DOGS. I keep stealing it back from my younger son. He can do standup from it.
This week, we are launching a new Suspense/Thriller feature for New York Times bestseller Kevin O’Brien. His latest book, ONE LAST SCREAM, hits stores on December 18th. In this gripping thriller, a series of mysterious murders leads a young woman to question whether or not she could be a cold-blooded killer or a pawn in a deadly game. We have 15 copies of ONE LAST SCREAM to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, December 7th.
Here's wishing you all happy leftovers and a relaxing weekend. May there be time for reading in front of a fire or someplace else warm. See you next week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
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Click here to read the full story behind Carol's "turkey near disaster."
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Bookreporter.com Talks to John Lutz, Author of IN FOR THE KILL
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Award-winning mystery/thriller author John Lutz has written over 40 books and five times as many short stories, and is probably best known for his novel SWF SEEKS SAME, which was adapted into the hit movie Single White Female. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, Lutz describes his childhood inspiration for the particularly vicious villain in his latest work of fiction, IN FOR THE KILL, and explains how his stint working for the St. Louis PD gave him insight into how those working in law enforcement handle witnessing crime and violence on a daily basis. He also elaborates on the familial relationships established in the book, compares and contrasts writing novels with short stories and reveals when readers can expect a new Frank Quinn novel.
IN FOR THE KILL by John Lutz (Thriller)
After making his first appearance in DARKER THAN NIGHT, Detective Frank Quinn returns to face his toughest --- and most personal --- case yet. Hunting down killers is what he does best. But this time, Quinn is up against a psychopath who will test him as never before. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read a review of IN FOR THE KILL.
-Click here to read an excerpt from IN FOR THE KILL.
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Click here to read our interview with John Lutz.
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New Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Kevin O'Brien, Author of ONE LAST SCREAM
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Kevin O’Brien is the New York Times bestselling author of THE LAST VICTIM and KILLING SPREE. In his new thriller, ONE LAST SCREAM (which releases on December 18th), a series of mysterious murders leads a young woman suffering from blackouts to question herself and her past. Could she be a cold-blooded killer? Or a pawn in a deadly game?
We have 15 copies of ONE LAST SCREAM to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, December 7th.
-Click here to read Kevin O’Brien’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.KevinOBrienBooks.com.
More about ONE LAST SCREAM:
Amelia Faraday is beautiful, smart and a walking disaster. Suffering from blackouts, she also suffers from something worse --- the feeling that she is personally involved in a series of deaths. Now as a new series of murders begins, and she continues to suffer from blackouts, Amelia is left wondering if she is a cold-blooded killer --- or a pawn in a deadly game that’s only just beginning.
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Click here to read more about Kevin O'Brien and ONE LAST SCREAM.
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Basket of Holiday Cheer Contest on Bookreporter.com: Spotlight on AN IRISH CHRISTMAS by Melody Carlson
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The holiday season is upon us! At Bookreporter.com this means it's time for us to share the spirit of the season with you with our Holiday Basket of Cheer Contest.
Each week from November 2nd through December 14th we are spotlighting a different title that is perfect for holiday gift giving, and five readers have the chance to win a holiday basket filled with winter-themed items as well as two copies of the featured book. Why two? One is to keep, of course, and one is for someone on your holiday gift list. We also include festive wrapping paper and a ribbon to make the gift-giving hassle-free.
This week we are featuring with AN IRISH CHRISTMAS by Melody Carlson, a captivating story of love, deception and secret passions.
Our Holiday Basket of Cheer is a woven basket stocked with holiday-themed items. Along with two copies of AN IRISH CHRISTMAS and green-and-tan checkered wrapping paper and coordinating ribbon, winners will receive a cranberry orange-scented Illuminations candle, Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix, gourmet hand-cut vanilla marshmallows, sweet-smelling cinnamon sticks, delicious Chewy Peps peppermint candies, a copy of The Christmas Shoes DVD (based on Donna VanLiere’s book of the same name), a festive serving tray depicting a winter scene and a large snowman cookie.
To enter to win, answer the question below:
Why does Colleen decide to sell the shoe store and the house?
You can find the answer by reading an excerpt here.
AN IRISH CHRISTMAS by Melody Carlson (Fiction)
AN IRISH CHRISTMAS by veteran author Melody Carlson is a happily-ever-after trip to the Emerald Isle, just in time for the holidays. The story, set in the early 1960s, interweaves history, a dark family secret, faith themes and the beautiful settings of Ireland, as it promises redemption and forgiveness for those who have failed in some way in the past. Reviewed by Cindy Crosby.
-Click here to read a review of AN IRISH CHRISTMAS.
-Click here to read a message from Melody Carlson about AN IRISH CHRISTMAS.
-Read more about Melody Carlson and AN IRISH CHRISTMAS here.
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Click here to read all the details of our Holiday Basket of Cheer feature.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Steve Berry, Author of THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL
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With novels such as THE TEMPLAR LEGACY and THE ALEXANDRIA LINK, New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry has been celebrated by readers worldwide. December 11th marks the release of Berry's new suspense/thriller, THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL, in which former U.S. Justice Department agent Cotton Malone and his friend Cassiopeia Vitt embark on a quest to try to unravel an ancient riddle whose solution could destroy or save millions of people.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL.
-Click here to read fast facts about Steve Berry.
-Click here to read Steve Berry’s bio.
-Click here to see Steve Berry's backlist.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.SteveBerry.org.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL:
Backed by a secret cabal of powerbrokers, the Central Asian Federation has amassed a harrowing arsenal of biological weapons. Equipped with the hellish power to decimate other nations at will, only one thing keeps the Federation’s ruler from setting in motion her death march of domination: a miraculous healing serum, kept secret by an ancient puzzle and buried with the mummified remains of Alexander the Great --- in a tomb lost to the ages for more than 1,500 years. Together, Cotton Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt must outrun and outthink the forces allied against them and find the tomb before the Federation does.
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Click here to read more about Steve Berry and THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Kyle Mills, Author of DARKNESS FALLS
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From the New York Times bestselling author of THE SECOND HORSEMAN and FADE, DARKNESS FALLS --- which is now available in stores --- is Kyle Mills’s most provocative and riveting thriller yet. When a bizarre contagion begins to infiltrate Arabian petroleum reserves, the Department of Homeland Security sends Erin Neal to investigate. As the threat escalates, Erin realizes that the bacteria couldn’t possibly have evolved on its own.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from DARKNESS FALLS.
-Click here to read fast facts about Kyle Mills.
-Click here to read Kyle Mills’s bio.
-Click here to see Kyle Mills's backlist.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.KyleMills.com.
-Click here to visit the official website for DARKNESS FALLS.
-Click here to watch an interview with Kyle Mills.
-Download the DARKNESS FALLS podcast.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about DARKNESS FALLS:
When a deadly bacteria begins threatening the world’s oil reserves, Erin Neal is sent in to investigate. It soon becomes clear that if this contagion isn’t stopped, it will infiltrate the world’s petroleum reserves, cutting the industrial world off from the energy that provides the heat, food and transportation necessary for survival.
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Click here to read more about Kyle Mills and DARKNESS FALLS.
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Don't Miss: STAR WARS: A POP-UP GUIDE TO THE GALAXY by Matthew Reinhart
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STAR WARS: A POP-UP GUIDE TO THE GALAXY by Matthew Reinhart
Lifelong Star Wars fan and paper engineer extraordinaire Matthew Reinhart combines his two passions in STAR WARS: A POP-UP GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, an encyclopedic examination of who, what, when and where in the Star Wars universe --- not to mention some very impressive pop-up sculptures of monsters, vehicles and enemies…including Darth Vader. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
-Click here to read an interview with Matthew Reinhart on Kidsreads.com.
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Click here to read a review of STAR WARS: A POP-UP GUIDE TO THE GALAXY.
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The Teenreads.com Basket of Holiday Cheer Contest is Now Live! |
Back by popular demand: The Teenreads.com Basket of Holiday Cheer Contest! From November 21st through December 14th, you can enter to win a "Basket of Holiday Reading and Fun."
Five winners each will receive a basket that includes 12 books --- THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie, GUYAHOLIC by Carolyn Mackler, HERO by Perry Moore; I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU, BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU by Ally Carter; INCANTATION by Alice Hoffman; THE LUXE by Anna Godbersen; MEMOIRS OF A TEENAGE AMNESIAC by Gabrielle Zevin; PERFECT: Pretty Little Liars #3 by Sara Shepard; THE RED QUEEN’S DAUGHTER by Jacqueline Kolosov; RETURN TO ATLANTIS by R.A. Montgomery; SAVING ZOE by Alyson Noel; and WICKED LOVELY by Melissa Marr.
Along with the books, winners will find their basket stocked with the hottest holiday goodies --- a kit to make a gingerbread house, Ghirardelli Rich Dark Hot Chocolate mix, gourmet vanilla marshmallows, sweet-smelling cinnamon sticks, delicious Chewy Peps peppermint candies, adorable winter-themed cookies, an Illuminations Cranberry Orange jar candle, Junior Mints Peppermint Crunch candy, very cute reindeer socks, a marshmallow Christmas tree pop and holiday-colored bath confetti.
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Click here to read all the details of the Teenreads.com Holiday Basket of Cheer Contest.
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This Week's Reviews and Features
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DOUBLE CROSS by James Patterson (Thriller)
Just when Alex Cross thought his life was calming down into a routine of patients and therapy sessions, he finds himself back in the game --- this time to catch a criminal mastermind like no other, a killer who will stop at nothing to become the most terrifying star that Washington, D.C. has ever seen. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read an excerpt from DOUBLE CROSS.
MISTER B. GONE by Clive Barker (Horror)
MISTER B. GONE marks the long-awaited return of Clive Barker to the classic horror story. This bone-chilling novel, in which a medieval devil speaks directly to his reader --- his tone murderous one moment, seductive the next --- is a never-before-published memoir allegedly penned in the year 1438. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
LOVE OVER SCOTLAND by Alexander McCall Smith (Fiction)
When you step into the pages of a 44 Scotland Street novel, you enter Edinburgh as prolific novelist Alexander McCall Smith’s own private guest. McCall Smith’s intimate love affair with his adopted city peeps through the windows of this fictional townhouse condominium like a cool Scottish sun on a rare, cloudless day. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
CIRCLING MY MOTHER: A Memoir by Mary Gordon (Memoir)
In this triumphant return to nonfiction after two critically acclaimed works of fiction, Mary Gordon gives us a rich, bittersweet memoir about her mother, their relationship and her role as daughter. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
A WAR OF GIFTS: An Ender Story by Orson Scott Card (Science Fiction)
Orson Scott Card offers a Christmas gift to his millions of fans with this short novel set during Ender's first years at the Battle School, where it is forbidden to celebrate religious holidays. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
THE HOLIDAY SEASON by Michael Knight (Fiction)
While Michael Knight’s two novellas don’t blaze any new territory, wistfully reminiscing about the more dysfunctional aspects of the holidays, they are an immense credit to their genre. The minimalist prose and realistic dialogue possess a quiet humor and an aching beauty. Reviewed by Max Falkowitz.
EMISSARY: Book Two of The Percheron Saga by Fiona McIntosh (Fantasy)
In this second volume of Percheron, manipulation reigns supreme as Boaz, Ana, Herezah and Pez all plot and scheme to make their will reality. Oblivious to them all is the recovery of the Spur, Lazar, and the impending doom that descends on Percheron. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
AURALIA'S COLORS: The Auralia Thread Series #1 by Jeffrey Overstreet (Fantasy)
Reader be warned: If you read AURALIA'S COLORS, the first installment in the Auralia Thread series, you’ll be hooked. Jeffrey Overstreet’s debut is compelling fantasy fiction, full of verve, imagination and, yes, color. Odd reptiles, ancient kingdoms and Christian symbolism are woven together in a way that entrances and enchants. Reviewed by Cindy Crosby.
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Read this week's reviews and features here.
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Poll and Question of the Week: Holiday Shopping
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Poll:
When do you start your holiday shopping?
I already started.
I start right after Thanksgiving.
I wait until December.
I wait until the absolute last minute.
I already am done.
I do not do holiday shopping.
-Click here to answer our poll.
Question:
What book will you be buying to give as a gift this holiday season?
-Click here to answer our question of the week.
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As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.
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 November 30, 2007 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: DOUBLE CROSS by James Patterson, EVERLASTING by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, GENTLEMEN OF THE ROAD: A Tale of Adventure by Michael Chabon, THE HEIR by Barbara Taylor Bradford and STONE COLD by David Baldacci. Jessica from Brooklyn, NY was last month's newsletter winner. She won BOOK OF THE DEAD by Patricia Cornwell, EXIT GHOST by Philip Roth, NOW AND THEN: A Spenser Novel by Robert B. Parker, PANDORA'S DAUGHTER by Iris Johansen and PROTECT AND DEFEND by Vince Flynn.
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.
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