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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
March 23, 2012 |
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Spring Has Sprung…and So Have the Temperatures |
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While some of the country is dealing with snow and lower temperatures than usual, we in the northeast are experiencing a summer-like spring. Trees are flowering and the birds are back. At this time last year, when there was still snow on the ground in March, I could not picture that we would be running the air conditioner this year.
Last night, I walked crosstown and spent a fun evening at Henri Bendel’s, where a book party was held for Kate White’s latest mystery, SO PRETTY IT HURTS. My friend Beverley Wilson joined me; and it was fun to catch up with Kate as the three of us had worked together at Mademoiselle magazine a couple of decades ago. (See the photo above.) In SO PRETTY IT HURTS, the latest in Kate’s Bailey Weggins series, the true-crime journalist and sassy amateur sleuth has scarcely begun her hard-earned weekend getaway when something comes up: a dead body, belonging to one of the world’s most glamorous supermodels. Now Bailey is trapped at an upstate New York home amidst the glitterati --- and any one of them could be a murderer. Our reviewer, Amie Taylor, says, “This latest installment of the series lives up to the precedent that Kate White has set with her previous Bailey Weggins mysteries and doesn't fail to delight. While I admit to being a Kate White fan since she became the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, I don't feel at all biased to say that these are novels any mystery reader will enjoy immensely.” For the record, we saw some very leggy supermodels at the party last night.
As everyone knows, the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games hits theaters today. Two of our staffers were in theaters at midnight to catch the first screening, and they had so much fun. The film was a hit for Maureen, who said, "I was really happy with the final result, and I loved how they started setting up the next film by incorporating things that happened in the Districts while Katniss was in the Arena. I re-read the book before I saw the movie, and I'm so glad I did." And according to Dana, "The vibe at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square theater for the midnight showing was amazing! Having read and loved all three Hunger Games books and anticipated the movie for months, I left the theater at 3AM feeling a little sleepy but very satisfied." You can read more of Dana's thoughts about last night on the Teenreads.com blog here.
I hope to get to see the movie this weekend, but I am so bad about buying tickets in advance that this may be a pipedream.
Speaking of being in a Hunger Games frame of mind, we share a piece about the books and the movie from USA Today: 'Hunger Games' fans switch arenas from page to screen. What’s so special about this piece? Well, our reviewer Roz Shea is quoted and shares how she discovered the books. I loved reading her story.
This week, we bring you a review of Harlan Coben’s STAY CLOSE. In this stand-alone effort, three people living lives they never wanted, hiding secrets that even those closest to them would never suspect, will find that the past doesn't recede. Even as the terrible consequences of long-ago events crash together in the present and threaten to ruin lives, they will come to the startling realization that they may not want to forget the past at all. Our reviewer, Joe Hartlaub, says, “The narration hums and dances and sings like nothing [Coben] has done before, and his characters are so real this time around that they almost seem to rise off the printed page.”
THE EXPATS by Chris Pavone became an instant New York Times bestseller when it came out a couple of weeks ago. In it, Kate Moore is a working mother struggling to make ends meet and maintain an increasingly unbearable life-defining secret. So when her husband is offered a lucrative job in Luxembourg, she jumps at the chance to leave behind her double-life and to start anew. But then another American couple arrives, and Kate becomes terrified that her own past is catching up to her. Joe Hartlaub says, “The almost universal appeal of Chris Pavone’s debut novel slowly becomes evident as the reader is gently tugged and prodded and then gradually catapulted through its plot, word by word and page by page.... Look for THE EXPATS to be a spring and summer travel companion for vacationers everywhere.”
Our latest Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight features a Bookreporter.com staff and reader favorite, Kevin O’Brien, whose new book is TERRIFIED. To save her abducted son, Megan Keeler must put herself at the mercy of a maniac. Is Glenn a cold-blooded killer determined to destroy her world piece by piece, or is the truth even more twisted? Megan thought she knew fear, but her nightmare is only beginning. We have 25 copies to give away to readers who enter here by Thursday, April 5th at noon ET.
We are featuring two new Paperback Spotlights --- and both are for books that I selected as Bookreporter.com Bets On selections when they were in hardcover last year. The first is THE AMERICAN HEIRESS by Daisy Goodwin. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the 20th century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash --- whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts' --- suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham and married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Our reviewer, Melanie Smith, says, "This is an exceptionally thoughtful and stunning historical novel that will leave you reeling and astonished." For the record, if you loved “Downton Abbey,” you want to read THE AMERICAN HEIRESS.
Our other Paperback Spotlight is TURN OF MIND by Alice LaPlante. In it, a former orthopedic surgeon suffering from dementia becomes the primary suspect in the murder of her best friend and neighbor. With her memories muddled, she herself cannot even remember whether or not she is the killer. Our reviewer, Norah Piehl, says, "LaPlante's real achievement here is creating a character who --- even in the midst of losing her mind --- is concrete, complicated, smart and sympathetic." What a story! Every time I talk about this book with friends, people want to read it.
Also available in paperback this week is RED ON RED by Edward Conlon. The novel follows two NYPD detectives, Meehan and Esposito: one damaged and introspective, the other ambitious and unscrupulous. A fierce and unlikely friendship develops between them and plays out against a tangle of mysteries. The book is nominated for an Edgar Award in the category “Best First Novel by an American Author.”
We have an interview with Helene Tursten, whose newest Detective Inspector Irene Huss novel, NIGHT ROUNDS, came out last month and has become a Bookreporter.com reviewer and reader favorite. Irene investigates when a hospital is hit by a blackout, one nurse is found dead, and another vanishes. Tursten talks to us about her inspiration to tell the story, partially drawn from her own experience as a nurse and dentist. She also shares some of her favorite Swedish crime writers, describes her writing routine, and gives a glimpse into what she’s working on now.
This week, we’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature. New additions to the list include PANDEMONIUM by Lauren Oliver, STARTERS by Lissa Price, and BENEATH A METH MOON by Jacqueline Woodson. Next time you’re in the bookstore or library (real or virtual!), be sure to get over to the Young Adult section and take a look at these titles. They all are stellar selections.
Meanwhile, our poll and question continue until Thursday, March 29th at noon ET. Be sure to weigh in about book blurbs and tell us about your most trusted authors and publications!
We have a new Word of Mouth contest running this week. Let us know what you’re reading for a chance to win THE RED BOOK by Deborah Copaken Kogan, THE SHOEMAKER’S WIFE by Adriana Trigiani, and THUNDER AND RAIN by Charles Martin.
And speaking of Word of Mouth, please note that we’ve recently added some new guidelines to the page. For starters, to ensure that other readers will be able to find the book, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). Every contest period, we spend time here in the office checking Word of Mouth responses to be formatted with correct capitalization and to read grammatically clean, as well as have the correct information. The more time spent doing this, the less time we can spend bringing you other content. So please be sure to take a look at the new guidelines, which you can find here.
One of our readers, Bobbie, dropped me a note to comment on the story I shared last week about tiny libraries. As she said, “I picked up a copy of USA Today on February 27th and read a piece called ‘Little Libraries’ have people thinking (and reading) outside the box," which I cut out to save for my daughter, who is a book reader and lives in Basking Ridge, NJ, which just could be a great place for one of those little libraries at the end of her driveway.” The story includes a link where you can learn more about this project. Thanks Bobbie for sharing that with us.
Last Friday night was a fun night of basketball at our house as my husband’s alma mater, Lehigh, beat Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament. However, on Sunday night, our Cinderella favorite faltered.
Once again, “The Walking Dead” nailed it with a killer season finale…and yes, that was a pun. On the screen this weekend, the long-awaited two-hour Season 5 premiere of "Mad Men" airs on AMC this Sunday at 9:00 ET/PT. As the season kicks off, the staff at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce continues to captivate as they grapple with an uncertain new reality. I’m looking forward to connecting with the gang on Sunday night. By the way, for a completely fun movie, check out Crazy Stupid Love. And we also enjoyed The Way, a film that you might miss that was very well done. I heard about it at the yarn shop of all places.
I am juggling three books right now. The first is THE HARE WITH AMBER EYES, a nonfiction title about Edmund de Waal, a world-famous ceramicist who inherits a collection of 264 tiny Japanese wood and ivory carvings, called netsuke. He examines their history in a moving memoir that traces his family, the Ephrussis, over five generations. I see why it's getting a ton of buzz.
WONDER by R.J. Palacio is a novel I would highly recommend to readers of all ages. In it, a young boy with a profound facial abnormality is mainstreamed into middle school. His story is told by him, his sister and friends. Reading it opens conversations about how those who are different deserve to be treated and not judged. It’s very powerfully done; I have about 100 pages left, and one section is better than the next. A prior commitment kept me from meeting the author earlier this year, and I really regret not having the chance to do that.
My friend Dini got THE SACRED THREAD: A True Story of Becoming a Mother and Finding a Family -- Half a World Away by Adrienne Arieff on my radar. It’s a memoir about a young woman whose child was carried by a surrogate in India. The regulations regarding surrogacy in India are far different from here in the States. I look forward to delving more into Adrienne’s story this weekend.
Our re-launch of Kidsreads.com is coming on Tuesday. Get ready for a whole new look for our site for 6-12 year olds.
Speaking of re-launches, I spent time on Facebook last weekend posing some questions about what readers would like to see for our redesign of ReadingGroupGuides.com. I got some good ideas and feedback, but as always would love more. If there are features or other programming that you would like to see us add, drop me at note at Carol@bookreporter.com, and I ensure you that they will be considered as we map out our plans for a re-launch. The plan right now is to have this ready for early June.
Why that timing? Well, we would love it in place for BookExpo America, the big book trade show, which will be held in New York from June 5th-7th. Book Club Leaders/Facilitators (You must lead an official book group of at least 10 members and meet at least 10 times a year at a minimum.) are eligible to attend this industry-only event. You can see details on how to register here. Of special note to book groups, I will be moderating an event the morning of Wednesday, June 6th beginning at 9AM, which will give a look at the upcoming fall/winter books. We are still working out details for this program, which we are expanding from the format we have been using the last two years. More on this to come, but note you must be registered to attend the show in order to attend this session.
Whew….lots going on. Here’s wishing you all a nice spring weekend of reading wherever you are.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
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Now in Stores: STAY CLOSE by Harlan Coben |
STAY CLOSE by Harlan Coben (Thriller)
Three people living lives they never wanted, hiding secrets that even those closest to them would never suspect, will find that the past doesn't recede. Even as the terrible consequences of long-ago events crash together in the present and threaten to ruin lives, they will come to the startling realization that they may not want to forget the past at all. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub. |
Click here to read a review.
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Now in Stores: THE EXPATS by Chris Pavone |
THE EXPATS by Chris Pavone (Thriller)
Kate Moore is a working mother struggling to make ends meet and maintain an increasingly unbearable life-defining secret. So when her husband is offered a lucrative job in Luxembourg, she jumps at the chance to leave behind her double-life and to start anew. But then another American couple arrives, and Kate becomes terrified that her own past is catching up to her. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read a review.
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Now in Stores: SO PRETTY IT HURTS by Kate White |
SO PRETTY IT HURTS: A Bailey Weggins Mystery by Kate White (Mystery)
When crime reporter Bailey Weggins attends a celebrity-filled weekend house party in the New York countryside, the sudden death of supermodel Devon Barr during an impromptu snowstorm lands Bailey in the midst of a murder investigation that threatens her personal safety and the future of her career with the gossip magazine Buzz. Reviewed by Amie Taylor. |
Click here to read a review.
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New Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Kevin O’Brien, Author of TERRIFIED |
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We have 25 copies of TERRIFIED by Kevin O'Brien, which will be in stores March 27th, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 5th at noon ET.
More about TERRIFIED:
Megan Keeler died years ago --- or so everyone believes. In fact, she disappeared to escape from her sadistic husband, Glenn. When dismembered body parts were found near their home, Glenn was convicted of his wife’s murder. And Megan, terrified for her unborn child’s safety, never came forward with the truth.
Since then, Megan has built a new life in Seattle for herself and her son, Josh. She’s never forgotten that she’s a fugitive, and Josh knows nothing about her past…but someone does. First, there are anonymous emails and threats, just as she learns that Glenn has been released from prison. Then the unthinkable happens: a masked man breaks into their home and abducts Josh.
To save her son, Megan must put herself at the mercy of a maniac. Is Glenn a cold-blooded killer determined to destroy her world piece by piece, or is the truth even more twisted? Megan thought she knew fear, but her nightmare is only beginning…
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read Kevin O’Brien’s bio.
-Click here to follow Kevin O’Brien on Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
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New Paperback Spotlight: THE AMERICAN HEIRESS by Daisy Goodwin |
THE AMERICAN HEIRESS by Daisy Goodwin (Historical Fiction)
Be careful what you wish for. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the 20th century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read Daisy Goodwin’s bio.
-Connect with Daisy Goodwin on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to visit Daisy Goodwin’s YouTube channel.
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Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
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New Paperback Spotlight: TURN OF MIND by Alice LaPlante |
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TURN OF MIND by Alice LaPlante (Literary Thriller)
When Dr. Jennifer White’s best friend, Amanda, is found dead with four of her fingers surgically removed, Dr. White is the prime suspect. But she herself doesn’t know whether she did it. Told in White’s own voice, fractured and eloquent, a picture emerges of the surprisingly intimate, complex alliance between these life-long friends --- two proud, forceful women who were at times each other’s most formidable adversary. As the investigation into the murder deepens and White’s relationships with her live-in caretaker and two grown children intensify, a chilling question lingers: is White’s shattered memory preventing her from revealing the truth or helping her to hide it?
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read our interview.
-Click here to read Alice LaPlante’s bio.
-Visit www.AliceLaPlante.com.
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Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
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Now Available in Paperback: RED ON RED by Edward Conlon |
“Wise, wry, and intelligent…possibly the best cop novel ever.”
—Lee Child
Edward Conlon’s RED ON RED captures the vibrant dynamic of a successful police partnership --- the tests of loyalty, the necessary betrayals, the wedding of life and work --- and tells an unrelenting and exciting story that captures the grittiness, complexity, ironies and compromises of life on the job.
"A big, daring, psychologically complex story --- passionate and poignant, pulsating with authenticity and street smarts yet lyrical and literary --- this is the cop novel for everyone who reads books."
—Joseph Wambaugh
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Click here to read more about the book.
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Helene Tursten, Author of NIGHT ROUNDS |
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In Helene Tursten’s newest Inspector Irene Huss novel, NIGHT ROUNDS, Irene investigates when a hospital is hit by a blackout, one nurse is found dead, and another vanishes. In this interview, conducted by Bookreporter.com’s Joe Hartlaub, Tursten discusses her inspiration to tell the story, partially drawn from her own experience as a nurse and dentist. She also shares some of her favorite Swedish crime writers, describes her writing routine, and gives a glimpse into what she’s working on now.
NIGHT ROUNDS: A Detective Inspector Irene Huss Investigation by Helene Tursten (Mystery)
One nurse lies dead and another vanishes after their hospital is hit by a blackout. The only witness claims to have seen Nurse Tekla doing her rounds, but Nurse Tekla died 60 years ago. Detective Inspector Irene Huss of the Violent Crimes Unit has the challenge of disentangling wandering ghosts and complex human relationships to get to the bottom of this intriguing case.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read praise for Helene Tursten's books.
-Click here to read Helene Tursten's bio.
-Read our Mystery Mayhem features for DETECTIVE INSPECTOR HUSS and NIGHT ROUNDS.
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Click here to read our interview.
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Featured Women's Fiction Author: Susan Mallery, Author of BAREFOOT SEASON |
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BAREFOOT SEASON: A Blackberry Island Novel by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
Michelle Sanderson may appear to be a strong, independent woman, but on the inside, she’s still the wounded girl who fled home years ago. A young army vet, Michelle returns to the quaint Blackberry Island Inn to claim her inheritance and recover from the perils of war. Instead, she finds the owner’s suite occupied by the last person she wants to see.
Carly Williams and Michelle were once inseparable, until a shocking betrayal destroyed their friendship. And now Carly is implicated in the financial disaster lurking behind the inn’s cheerful veneer.
Single mother Carly has weathered rumors, lies and secrets for a lifetime, and is finally starting to move forward with love and life. But if the Blackberry Island Inn goes under, Carly and her daughter will go with it.
To save their livelihoods, Carly and Michelle will undertake a turbulent truce. It’ll take more than a successful season to move beyond their devastating past, but with a little luck and a beautiful summer, they may just rediscover the friendship of a lifetime.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit the official website of the series.
-Click here to read Susan Mallery's bio.
-Visit SusanMallery.com.
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Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight.
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Now in Stores: FORCE OF NATURE by C. J. Box |
FORCE OF NATURE: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box (Mystery)
In 1995, Nate Romanowski was in a secret Special Forces unit abroad when a colleague did something terrible. Now high up in the government, the man is determined to eliminate anyone who knows about it, and Nate knows exactly how he'll do it --- by striking at Nate's friends to draw him out. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
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Click here to read a review.
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This Week’s Reviews |
THE GILLY SALT SISTERS by Tiffany Baker (Fiction)
Although the community half-suspects the Gilly sisters might be witches, it doesn't stop Whit Turner, the town's wealthiest bachelor, from forcing his way into their lives and marrying Claire. Years later, estranged from her family, Claire finds herself thrust back onto the farm with the last person she would have chosen: her husband's pregnant mistress. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
SHADOW OF THE TITANIC: The Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived by Andrew Wilson (History)
Drawing on a wealth of previously unpublished letters, memoirs and diaries, as well as interviews with survivors’ family members, award-winning journalist and author Andrew Wilson reveals how some used their experience to propel themselves on to fame, while others were so racked with guilt that they spent the rest of their lives under the Titanic’s shadow. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
THE VANISHERS by Heidi Julavits (Fiction)
Julia Severn is a student at an elite institute for psychics. Her mentor, Madame Ackermann, afflicted by jealousy, refuses to pass the torch to her young disciple. Instead, she subjects Julia to the humiliation of reliving her mother's suicide when Julia was an infant. As the two lock horns, Madame Ackermann launches a desperate psychic attack that leaves Julia the victim of a crippling ailment. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
A PARTIAL HISTORY OF LOST CAUSES by Jennifer duBois (Historical Fiction)
In Jennifer duBois’s mesmerizing and exquisitely rendered debut novel, a long-lost letter links two disparate characters, each searching for meaning against seemingly insurmountable odds. Spanning two continents and the dramatic sweep of history, A PARTIAL HISTORY OF LOST CAUSES reveals the stubbornness and splendor of the human will even in the most trying times. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
THE MIGHT HAVE BEEN by Joseph M. Schuster (Fiction)
In 1976, Edward Everett Yates, a 27-year-old veteran of minor-league baseball, gets a shot at the majors, but a knee injury ends his playing career. Rather than accept a comfortable life of domesticity, he becomes a minor-league manager. Now, as his 60th birthday approaches, he grapples with feelings of regret and loss and wonders what life would have been like if his passion for baseball hadn’t been as strong, or if he’d had better luck. Reviewed by Michael Magras.
BLEED FOR ME by Michael Robotham (Psychological Thriller)
When Sienna Hegarty turns up at his family home one night, covered in blood and frozen in shock, psychologist Joe O'Loughlin finds himself drawn deep into her world, trying to unearth the dark family secrets her mind has buried. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
FINAL JUDGMENT by Joel Goldman (Legal Thriller)
It begins with a decapitated corpse found in the trunk of a Fleetwood Cadillac parked outside a federal courthouse and continues to unravel from there. Kansas City defense attorney Lou Mason has his hands full defending the man who owns the car with the dead body in it and quickly realizes that this is just the tip of a very fatal iceberg of deceit and murder. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
UNWANTED by Kristina Ohlsson (Thriller)
In the middle of a rainy Swedish summer, a little girl is abducted from a crowded train. Inspector Alex Recht and his special team of federal investigators are assigned to what at first appears to be a classic custody fight. But when the child is found dead with the word “unwanted” scribbled on her forehead, the case soon turns into the investigation team’s worst nightmare. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
DEAD LOW TIDE by Bret Lott (Psychological Thriller)
In this long-awaited sequel to THE HUNT CLUB, set in the swampy South Carolina Lowcountry, Bret Lott returns with a page-turner about murder and family secrets. No longer a teenager and now a young man, Huger Dillard must come to terms with and confront the truth about his community, his past, and the mysterious place he calls home. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
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Young Adult Books You Want to Read |
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As you may or may not know, our company, The Book Report Network, has a number of websites about books and authors in addition to Bookreporter.com. Throughout the year, Bookreporter.com features adult books on Teenreads.com, our site for young adult readers, that we think will have definite appeal to a teen audience. In the spirit of sharing, we are now spotlighting a selection of titles each month from Teenreads.com that we believe are great reads that you might enjoy.
Here are our latest featured titles:
STARTERS by Lissa Price (Dystopian/Science Fiction)
In the future, teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. One girl discovers that her renter plans to do more than party --- her body will commit murder, if her mind can't stop it.
PANDEMONIUM by Lauren Oliver (Dystopian Fiction)
In this follow-up to DELIRIUM, Lena Haloway makes it to the Wilds and becomes part of an Invalid community, where she transforms herself into a warrior for the resistance. A future without Alex is unimaginable, but Lena pushes forward and fights, both for him and for a world in which love is no longer considered a disease.
BENEATH A METH MOON by Jacqueline Woodson (Fiction)
Laurel Daneau is still reeling from the losses she endured during Hurricane Katrina. When her new boyfriend introduces her to meth, she spirals into addiction. But as she slowly becomes a shell of her former self, she longs to become whole again.
CHOMP by Carl Hiaasen (Mystery)
Wahoo Cray lives in a zoo. His father is an animal wrangler, so he has grown up with all manner of gators, snakes, parrots, rats, monkeys, snappers, and more in his backyard. He can handle the critters. It's his father who's the unpredictable one.
WONDER by R.J. Palacio (Fiction)
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school --- until now. He's about to start fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid, then you know how hard that can be. Auggie is just an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?
CINDER: Book One in the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer (Fantasy)
Once upon a time, there was a cyborg named Cinder who fell madly in love with a prince. Mix in a deadly plague, a cruel lunar queen and a royal ball, and you have all the elements for a classic re-imagining of Cinderella that you won’t forget any time soon.
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Click here to see all the young adult books we recommend you read.
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Poll and Question of the Week |
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Poll:
Do you read blurbs (quotes) on the front and/or back of books?
Always
Sometimes
Never
Do blurbs influence your book selections? Please check as many as apply.
Yes, if the blurb is written by an author whose work I know
Yes, if the blurb is written by an author I have heard of
Yes, if the blurb is from a publication or reviewer I trust
Yes, if the blurb is from a publication or reviewer I have heard of
Yes, if the blurb makes the book sound appealing to me
Occasionally, if I don’t know much about the book
No, because I am not interested in reading promotional blurbs
No, because I would rather get the opinion of someone I know
No, because I already know enough about the books I am going to buy or borrow without reading the blurbs
I am not sure how I feel about blurbs.
Other (Please specify)
-Click here to answer the poll.
Question:
What author’s or publication’s blurb would influence your book selections?
-Click here to answer the question.
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Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Could Win THREE Books! |
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Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from March 23rd to April 6th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE RED BOOK by Deborah Copaken Kogan, THE SHOEMAKER’S WIFE by Adriana Trigiani, and THUNDER AND RAIN by Charles Martin.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the book, 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.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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Click here to enter the contest.
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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.
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