May 11, 2012

Ahhhh Mother’s Day is upon us. Let the fete-ing of mothers begin. My husband and my dad are planning to cook dinner for me and my mom here at the house. Our housekeeper has been in California this last week, thus my husband told the boys that they need to “help around the house” this weekend. So far there has been one spark of excitement about this. Cory saw the folded pile of laundry this afternoon and said, “Yeah, you did laundry.” And then he chided me for putting his pajama bottoms on the wrong pile. Hey, I was going by the room I found them in. After thumbing through his t-shirts, which I guess was to be sure that they were in the right places, he moseyed into the kitchen to make popcorn. Getting the clothes from the laundry room to his bedroom required a lot more energy!

Last Saturday night, I caught the start of "Saturday Night Live" and saw that Eli Manning was hosting. As I am a Giants fan, I thought I would watch a few minutes of the show. He was not stellar, and I was just about to turn it off when I saw what looked like an Amazon commercial for Mother’s Day, but it was not a real one. Instead, it featured three women “enjoying” FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. You can see it here. It’s definitely a tad risqué but sooo funny I had to share it! A friend also pointed me to Ellen DeGeneres doing an audio reading of the book, which you can see here.

In last week’s newsletter, I asked readers what they thought of this series. Fifteen of those who wrote in agreed for me to post their comments --- with just their first names --- on the Bookreporter.com Blog here. There were so many different points of view on this, and none were consistent! Really fun to read.

I was at a librarian preview event on Wednesday, and the conversation turned to these books. Someone commented that every 10 or 15 years, a book comes along like this that everyone reads --- and it picks up steam and momentum that takes it on a ride all its own. Cited as an example was THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, which was a book everyone was reading and talking about when it was first published in 1992. At the time, the subject matter was controversial; okay, not FIFTY SHADES OF GREY controversial, but still out there. A few readers on our blog were recalling a book called CANDY that I cannot find anything about. Very interesting to see how trends like this emerge.

Somewhere along the way, I should make a list of the “BIG” books that were published since we started Bookreporter.com. Off the top of my head, I can think of THE NOTEBOOK, THE DA VINCI CODE, THE HELP, and, of course, the Harry Potter, Twilight and Hunger Games titles. Fun to think about these books and what they meant for driving readers to stores.

As you know, I read a lot of books before they are published. And we like to give readers the opportunity to do this as well. This week, we have an opportunity for you to read a book that will not be published until August 21st in one of our Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book promotions. THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE by Courtney Miller Santo is about the Keller family, five generations of firstborn women --- a line of daughters unbroken --- living together in the same house on a secluded olive grove in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California. Told from varying viewpoints, this debut novel captures the joys and sorrows of family --- the love, secrets, disappointments, jealousies and forgiveness that tie generations to one other. I am reading it and enjoying the story. We are looking for readers who not only want to read the book, but also, if you like it, to chat it up online! Click here to read more about the book and enter by Thursday, May 24th at noon ET to win one of 200 early reader editions.

We have TWO new featured Women’s Fiction authors this week. Melanie Gideon is the author of WIFE 22. Alice Buckle sees herself as a wife, mother, drama teacher, Facebook chatter, downloader of memories and Googler of solutions. Then an anonymous online study called “Marriage in the 21st Century” shows up in her inbox. She becomes Wife 22 and is assigned a caseworker (Researcher 101). Along the way, she shares her innermost thoughts and secrets in this survey, and her confessions end up making some sparks fly. I read this book a few months ago and had great fun reading it as we readers see the answers to Wife 22's questions, but are not shown the questions themselves. I was guessing them along the way as I read the manuscript, but those of you who want to cheat will be happy to know that they appear at the end of the book. Anyone who has been married a while knows that marriage has its ups and downs. Wife 22 learns a lot about what matters to her as she charts her replies! Click here to read more about the book and enter by Thursday, May 24th at noon ET to win one of 25 copies.

Our other featured Women’s Fiction author is debut novelist Emylia Hall, whose novel, THE BOOK OF SUMMERS, has as its protagonist Beth Lowe. At 16, Beth uncovers a life-shattering secret, bringing her sacred summers with her mother abruptly to an end. Now, years later, Beth receives a package containing a scrapbook, a haunting record of a time long forgotten. Suddenly she is swept back to the world she left behind, forced to confront the betrayal that destroyed her --- and to search her heart for forgiveness. The twist here is not what I expected, but it explained so much. Click here to read more about the book and enter by Thursday, May 24th at noon ET to win one of 25 copies.

Oh, a couple of housekeeping notes. First, we know that since our redesign the contest forms have not worked for various reasons for some of you. There is no rhyme or reason to this, and our developers cannot figure it out. It’s just annoying. So that you can easily enter contests even if the form is not accessible --- and to keep me from answering email about this if you cannot access the form or the state dropdowns --- we have a link on each contest page directing you what to do if the form does not work. Please keep in mind that we prefer you use the form as it is easy to tabulate, but if it does not work, you now have a work-around!

Also, this week for some reason, automated content like the Quote of the Day failed to materialize. Some setting was switched on the back end and, bam, I was getting emails about this. We appreciate those who alerted us, and I think I got back to everyone. And our little time warp seems to have disappeared now.

One more thing. Search on our sites is not working as well as we would like, and we cannot find a way to make it better. Sooooo we are going to move over to Google Search, which powered the old Bookreporter.com. Reality = Google search is the leader for a reason, and wasting time trying to create your own search just is not worth the time or trouble. Give us a week or so to smooth this out!

Okay…back to books….

Our new Paperback Spotlight this week is NEXT TO LOVE by Ellen Feldman. Three young women --- Babe, Millie and Grace --- who live in a small town in Massachusetts all send the men they love off to fight in World War II. Not everyone returns, and those who do are profoundly changed, reminding us that the scars of war run deeper than the day that victory is won. This character-rich story begins before the men head out and continues right through the early ’60s. This was one of my Bookreporter.com Bets On selections last year; it is truly a great story! And if you are in a book group, it’s a great book for discussion. We are running a contest for it over on ReadingGroupGuides.com that your group may want to enter!

Speaking of Bets On, I’ve made TWO new Bets On selections this week! One is TO THE LAST BREATH: A Memoir of Going to Extremes by Georgetown physics professor Francis Slakey. Before Slakey set out to climb the highest mountain on every continent and surf every ocean, he had shut himself off from other people. But as his journey veered dangerously off course, everything about him began to change. TO THE LAST BREATH depicts the quest that leads Slakey around the globe, almost takes his life, challenges his fiercely held beliefs, and opens his heart. I had a chance to meet Slake, as he is known, a few weeks ago, and I babbled on and on telling him about HIS book. So embarrassing when I do that, but I am told he was flattered!

We're also reviewing TO THE LAST BREATH this week, and our reviewer, Barbara Bamberger Scott, has this to say: "Those who thrive on physical risk-taking will enjoy the author’s descriptions of scaling El Capitan and Mt. Everest, riding stormy waves, and experiencing the tomblike deprivation of the Antarctic vastness....In this well-written chronicle that takes us to some of the most untraveled, dangerous sites on earth, we see the disintegration of Planet Francis and the rebirth of Francis the man, husband, father, and guy with a dog."

My other Bets On selection is TRUE SISTERS by Sandra Dallas. Yes, I know this came out a few weeks ago, but as I have been talking about it to friends, I realized I should have cited it as a Bets On. You can read more about why I loved it below and here.

This week, we have a review of BRING UP THE BODIES, the sequel to WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel. Readers have been waiting for this one! Anne Boleyn has failed to give Henry a son, and her sharp intelligence and audacious will alienate his old friends and the noble families of England. When the discarded Katherine dies in exile from the court, Anne stands starkly exposed, the focus of gossip and malice. Reviewer Ray Palen says, "Hilary Mantel has created yet another thoroughly engaging piece of historical fiction that will compel all readers to keep turning the pages to see what happens next --- even though the end results are already well known. This ability to create constant intrigue and tension throughout will clearly make BRING UP THE BODIES a contender for literary acclaim in 2012."

We also have a review of Toni Morrison’s new novel, HOME. Frank Money is an angry, self-loathing veteran of the Korean War who finds himself back in racist America with more than just physical scars. His home may seem alien to him, but he is shocked out of his crippling apathy by the need to rescue his medically abused younger sister and take her back to the small Georgia town that he’s hated all his life. Reviewer Norah Piehl says, "Morrison's narrative, though straightforward and supremely readable, is also unsurprisingly deep and complex.... [HOME is] a novel that can be enjoyed on different levels by different sorts of readers, but whose indelible images will reside with all of them universally." And I am happy to share that we have a discussion guide for the book here.

Our Mother’s Day Blog feature, “Celebrating Authors and their Mothers” will be wrapping up Monday. This week, we had posts from Paul Levine, Ceri Radford, Tayari Jones, Mary McFadden, Claire Bidwell Smith and Adriana Trigiani. Still to come are Carla Stewart, Dawn Raffel and Benjamin Busch. Keep up with these fabulous posts here through Monday, May 14th.

Looking for ideas on what to ask for this Mother’s Day --- or, better yet, what to get your mom? Then check out our Mother’s Day feature, which includes eight great mom-friendly titles --- ARE YOU MY MOTHER? by Alison Bechdel, GRACE by T. Greenwood, THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, LOST AND FOUND by Geneen Roth, A NATURAL WOMAN by Carole King, the aforementioned NEXT TO LOVE by Ellen Feldman, THINK by Lisa Bloom, and THE WEIRD SISTERS by Eleanor Brown. Oh, and you can find the five lucky winners in our Mother’s Day contest here!

Jana Riess, the author of FLUNKING SAINTHOOD and a friend of the site, answered some interview questions from me about an event featuring Erik Larson that she attended at the Cincinnati Public Library. It gave me an idea that we could do this more often as you attend events at stores and libraries around the country. Please let us know if you are attending an event, and we will get some questions your way. We love the idea of having book correspondents around the country!

This week, we have a new poll for you; this time, we want to know where you most often talk about the books you have read or are reading. More than 1,000 of you voted in our previous poll, which ended earlier today. I look at the replies daily, so make sure to weigh in here! And last week’s Word of Mouth contest continues this week. Let us know what you’re reading here for a chance to win 11th HOUR by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, THE COLUMBUS AFFAIR by Steve Berry, and the aforementioned TO THE LAST BREATH: A Memoir of Going to Extremes by Francis Slakey.

Monday night, Tom Donadio and I attended the Children’s Choice Book Awards, which was a really fun evening. Jeff Kinney won Author of the Year, and Brian Selznick won Illustrator of the Year. The presenters’ remarks were as brilliant as those from the winners. You can see videos from the evening here. Something to share with the young readers in your life as well.

Whew…I think that’s it for this week. The sun is shining beautifully, the leaves are green, and outside is starting to look lush. I am off to smell the lilacs and try to convince someone to bring the hammock up from the basement for me. Hmmmm…I am going to leverage this Mother’s Day thing BIG TIME around here. As far as I'm concerned, it starts tonight and rolls into Monday morning. May I suggest the same for the mothers in our audience? And a VERY Happy Mother’s Day to you as well!

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

BRING UP THE BODIES by Hilary Mantel (Historical Fiction)
This highly anticipated sequel to Hilary Mantel’s WOLF HALL picks right up with the saga of King Henry VIII and the infamous Tudors as seen through the eyes of his advisor, Thomas Cromwell. This time, the focus is on Anne Boleyn and her supplanting by the young Jane Seymour of Wolf Hall. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

-Click here to read more about the book.

HOME by Toni Morrison (Historical Fiction)
Frank Money is an angry, self-loathing veteran of the Korean War who finds himself back in racist America with more than just physical scars. His home may seem alien to him, but he is shocked out of his crippling apathy by the need to rescue his medically abused younger sister and take her back to the small Georgia town that he’s hated all his life. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.

11th HOUR by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Thriller)
Lindsay Boxer is pregnant at last, but her work doesn't slow for a second. When millionaire Chaz Smith is mercilessly gunned down, she discovers that the murder weapon is linked to the deaths of four of San Francisco's most untouchable criminals, and it was taken from her own department's evidence locker. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

At Bookreporter.com, we have the opportunity to read many great books well in advance of their release dates. Now, with our Sneak Peek Feature/Contest, we are offering our readers the chance to preview select early picks --- and share feedback on them. We know that readers champion books that they love, and we want you to be part of the excitement of upcoming releases as early as possible.

Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE by Courtney Miller Santo, a debut novel that captures the love, secrets, disappointments, jealousies and forgiveness that tie generations to one other. We have 200 specially formatted early reader editions to give away to readers who would like to preview the book, which releases in August, and share their comments about it. To enter, fill out this form by Thursday, May 24th at noon ET.

THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE by Courtney Miller Santo (Fiction)
Meet the Keller family, five generations of firstborn women --- a line of daughters unbroken --- living together in the same house on a secluded olive grove in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California.

Anna, the family matriarch, is 112 and determined to become the oldest person in the world. An indomitable force, strong in mind and firm in body, she rules Hill House, the family home she shares with her daughter Bets, granddaughter Callie, great-granddaughter Deb, and great-great granddaughter Erin. Though they lead ordinary lives, there is an element of the extraordinary to these women: all are defying longevity norms. Their unusual lifespans have caught the attention of a geneticist who believes they hold the key to breakthroughs that will revolutionize the aging process for everyone.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an interview with Courtney Miller Santo.
-Click here to read a behind-the-book essay from Courtney Miller Santo.
-Click here to read Courtney Miller Santo’s bio.

We have 25 copies of WIFE 22 by Melanie Gideon, which will be in stores May 29th, to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment on it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Thursday, May 24th at noon ET.

WIFE 22 by Melanie Gideon (Fiction)
Maybe it was those extra five pounds I’d gained. Maybe it was because I was about to turn the same age my mother was when I lost her. Maybe it was because after almost 20 years of marriage my husband and I seemed to be running out of things to say to each other.

But when the anonymous online study called “Marriage in the 21st Century” showed up in my inbox, I had no idea how profoundly it would change my life. It wasn’t long before I was assigned both a pseudonym (Wife 22) and a caseworker (Researcher 101).

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Melanie Gideon’s bio.

We have 25 copies of THE BOOK OF SUMMERS by Emylia Hall, which will be in stores May 29th, to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment on it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Thursday, May 24th at noon ET.

THE BOOK OF SUMMERS by Emylia Hall (Fiction)
For nine-year-old Beth Lowe, it should have been a magical summer --- sun-kissed days lounging in rickety deck chairs, nights gathered around the fire. But what begins as an innocent vacation to Hungary ends with the devastating separation of her parents. Beth and her father return home alone, leaving her mother, Marika, behind.

Over the next seven summers, Beth walks a tightrope between worlds, fleeing her quiet home and distant father to bask in the intoxicating Hungarian countryside with Marika. It is during these enthralling summers that Beth comes to life and learns to love. But at 16, she uncovers a life-shattering secret, bringing her sacred summers with Marika abruptly to an end.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Emylia Hall’s bio.

NEXT TO LOVE by Ellen Feldman (Historical Fiction)
It’s 1941. Babe throws like a boy, thinks for herself, and never expects to escape the poor section of her quiet Massachusetts town. Then World War II breaks out, and everything changes. Her friend Grace, married to a reporter on the local paper, fears being left alone with her infant daughter when her husband ships out; Millie, the third member of their childhood trio, now weds the boy who always refused to settle down; and Babe wonders if she should marry Claude, who even as a child could never harm a living thing. As the war rages abroad, life on the home front undergoes its own battles and victories; and when the men return, and civilian life resumes, nothing can go back to quite the way it was.

The paperback edition of NEXT TO LOVE releases on May 15th.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Ellen Feldman’s bio.

OVERSEAS by Beatriz Williams (Historical Romance)
A young Wall Street analyst, Kate Wilson learned to rely on logic and cynicism. So why does she fall so desperately in love with Julian Laurence, a billionaire with a mysterious past? What she doesn't know is that he has been waiting for her...the enchanting woman who emerged from the shadows of the Great War to save his life. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

Mother’s Day Feature
Mother's Day is a time to recognize the woman who raised and nurtured us. Why not brighten her special day with some great books? May 13th is just around the corner, so we encourage you to take a look at our recommended titles. With books that are moving, uplifting, humorous and informative, look no further than Bookreporter.com for the perfect gift for Mom.
 

Our featured Mother’s Day titles are:

• Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama by Alison Bechdel
• Grace by T. Greenwood
• The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
• Lost and Found: One Woman's Story of Losing Her Money and Finding Her Life by Geneen Roth
• A Natural Woman: A Memoir by Carole King
• Next To Love by Ellen Feldman
• Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World by Lisa Bloom
• The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

-Click here to see the winners of our Mother's Day contest, who let us know their favorite book that their mom read to them.

MIDNIGHT IN PEKING: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China by Paul French (True Crime)
Peking in 1937 is a heady mix of privilege and scandal, opulence and opium dens, rumors and superstition. The Japanese are encircling the city, and the discovery of Pamela Werner's body sends a shiver through already nervous Peking. Is it the work of a madman? One of the ruthless Japanese soldiers now surrounding the city? Or perhaps the dreaded fox spirits? With the suspect list growing and clues sparse, two detectives --- one British and one Chinese --- race against the clock to solve the crime before the Japanese invade and Peking as they know it is gone forever. Can they find the killer in time, before the Japanese invade?

-Click here to read a review.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read our interview.
-Click here to read Paul French’s bio.

We have a number of contests currently running on our other sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com. Please take a look at them below, and enter for your chance to win some fabulous books!

20SomethingReads.com

GETTING NAKED: Five Steps to Finding the Love of Your Life (While Fully Clothed & Totally Sober) by Harlan Cohen
In GETTING NAKED, the follow-up to Harlan Cohen's bestseller THE NAKED ROOMMATE, Cohen shares his simple five-step approach to finding the love of your life. 20SomethingReads.com has 100 copies of the book to give away, and the deadline for entries is Thursday, May 24th at noon ET.

Teenreads.com

Short Story Writing Contest
Inspired by ANOTHER JEKYLL, ANOTHER HYDE by Daniel and Dina Nayeri, Teenreads.com is inviting readers (and aspiring writers!) to write a story in which you reinvent a classic story or character, making it modern and, most importantly, your own! Write your story in no more than 1,200 words. The deadline for entries is Friday, June 15th at noon ET.

Grab Bag of Books
In Teenreads.com's Grab Bag of Books contest, five readers will be awarded a Teenreads.com signature tote bag and the following seven books: BREAKING BEAUTIFUL, THE BUTTERFLY CLUES, CRAZY DANGEROUS, THE LAST ECHO: A Body Finder Novel, the movie tie-in edition of THE LUCKY ONE, PURITY and UNRAVELING. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 23rd at noon ET.

Kidsreads.com

JUSTIN CASE: SHELLS, SMELLS, AND THE HORRIBLE FLIP-FLOPS OF DOOM written by Rachel Vail, illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Justin is going to start fourth grade --- but first, he has to survive the summer. Kidsreads.com is giving 5 readers the chance to win a copy of JUSTIN CASE: SHELLS, SMELLS, AND THE HORRIBLE FLIP-FLOPS OF DOOM. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 5th at noon ET.

ALEX AND THE AMAZING TIME MACHINE written by Rich Cohen, illustrated by Kelly Murphy
Alex Trumble is a pretty ordinary kid --- except for the fact that his IQ borders on genius, and he loves to read books on vortexes and time travel. But when two angry hit men kidnap his big brother, Alex’s life changes fast. Kidsreads.com is giving 5 readers the chance to win a copy of ALEX AND THE AMAZING TIME MACHINE. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 5th at noon ET.

ReadingGroupGuides.com

GOLD by Chris Cleave
ReadingGroupGuides.com is celebrating the upcoming release of GOLD by Chris Cleave --- the story of two longtime friends and rivals who each desperately want to win gold at the 2012 Olympics --- with a special contest. 50 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which will be in stores July 3rd, for their group. The deadline for entries is Friday, June 8th at noon ET.

NEXT TO LOVE by Ellen Feldman
NEXT TO LOVE by Ellen Feldman follows the lives of three young women and their men during the years of World War II, beginning with the men going off to war and ending a generation later, when their children are on the cusp of their own adulthood. The paperback edition releases on May 15th, and ReadingGroupGuides.com is celebrating with a special contest. One group will receive 12 paperback copies of NEXT TO LOVE, while 25 additional readers will be awarded a copy of the book. The deadline for entries is Friday, June 8th at noon ET.

SILVER SPARROW by Tayari Jones
ReadingGroupGuides.com is celebrating the paperback release of SILVER SPARROW by Tayari Jones --- a breathtaking story about a man’s deception, a family’s complicity, and the two teenage girls caught in the middle --- with a special contest. One group will receive 12 paperback copies of SILVER SPARROW, while 25 additional readers will be awarded a copy of the book. The deadline for entries is Friday, June 8th at noon ET.

THE COTTAGE AT GLASS BEACH by Heather Barbieri
To be a group to win 20 free copies of THE COTTAGE AT GLASS BEACH by Heather Barbieri, all you have to do is sign up for the ReadingGroupGuides.com newsletter by Friday, June 1st at 11:59PM ET.

GraphicNovelReporter.com

ARE YOU MY MOTHER?: A Comic Drama by Alison Bechdel
In her highly anticipated follow-up to FUN HOME, bestselling author Alison Bechdel searches for the meaning of motherhood in her own life, not only from her actual mother but also from therapists, lovers, writers, and more. To celebrate its May 1st release, GraphicNovelReporter.com is awarding a copy of the book to 50 readers. The deadline for entries is Monday, May 14th at 11:59PM ET.

FaithfulReader.com

ECHOES OF TITANIC by Mindy Starns Clark and John Campbell Clark
In ECHOES OF TITANIC, the great-granddaughter of a Titanic survivor must race the clock to protect her family legacy, her livelihood and her future. 75 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of Mindy Starns Clark's latest novel (which she co-authored with her husband, John Campbell Clark, a lifelong Titanic buff). The deadline for entries is Friday, May 18th at noon ET.

THE FIDDLER: Home to Hickory Hollow, Book 1 by Beverly Lewis
FaithfulReader.com is celebrating the release of THE FIDDLER --- which takes readers to the beloved fictional Amish town of Hickory Hollow, where restless hearts find peace and Old World charm soothes the soul --- with a special contest. 50 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the first book in Beverly Lewis' Home to Hickory Hollow series. The deadline for entries is Friday, May 18th at noon ET.

AN UNCOMMON GRACE by Serena B. Miller
50 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of Serena B. Miller's latest novel, AN UNCOMMON GRACE, which centers on the forbidden love between an Amishman and his "Englisch" neighbor. The deadline for entries is Friday, May 18th at noon ET.

MISSING: The Secrets of Crittenden Country, Book One by Shelley Shepard Gray
In FaithfulReader.com's latest monthly contest, one reader will receive a copy of MISSING, the first installment in Shelley Shepard Gray's The Secrets of Crittenden County trilogy. Can two young people survive the suspicions of their friends and neighbors when tragedy strikes a close-knit Amish community? The deadline for entries is Friday, May 18th at noon ET.

SACRE BLEU: A Comedy d'Art by Christopher Moore (Historical Mystery/Comedy)
Everyone knows Vincent van Gogh committed suicide. Or did he? Christopher Moore mixes genres as he poses that question, bringing us a study of the color blue while taking us on a riotous roller-coaster ride through 1890s Paris...and other pursuits. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

THE LIFEBOAT by Charlotte Rogan (Historical Fiction)
Grace Winter is on trial for murder. As she recalls the weeks she spent on a lifeboat crowded with too many other desperate survivors, she weaves a vivid and unsettling tale of alliances and decisions that leaves the reader wondering: Is Grace telling the truth? Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

HARD COUNTRY by Michael McGarrity (Western)
In the wake of the death of his wife as she gives birth to his son, and the killing of his brother, John Kerney is forced to give up his ranch, leave his son behind, and strike out in search of the murderous outlaws and a place where he can start over. He drifts south until he meets a man who offers him work trailing cattle to the New Mexico Territory and forever changes his life. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

MAKING PIECE: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Pie by Beth M. Howard (Memoir)
One brief, unexpected phone call from a stranger changed Beth's life. In that moment, she learned the awful news that she just became a widow. Who knew that making, sharing and judging pie and crisscrossing the country in her late husband's RV, "The Beast," would be the ticket to restoring her sense of purpose and helping heal her grief and misplaced guilt? Reviewed by Carole Turner.

AND SHE WAS by Alison Gaylin (Mystery/Suspense)
On a summer afternoon in 1998, six-year-old Iris Neff walked away from a barbecue in her small suburban town...and vanished. Brenna Spector, an investigator with a remarkable memory, is on the case, but she can’t seem to figure it out. When a local woman disappears 11 years later, Brenna uncovers bizarre connections between the missing woman, the long-gone little girl...and herself. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Brad Parks (Mystery/Suspense)
Reading his own newspaper’s obituaries, veteran reporter Carter Ross comes across that of a woman who was the victim of a hit-and-run while she was on the job delivering copies of that very paper. Struck by the opportunity to write a heroic piece about an everyday woman killed too young, he heads to her wake to gather tributes and anecdotes. Will his nose for trouble finally take him too far? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY OF THE YEAR, Volume Six edited by Jonathan Strahan (Science Fiction/Fantasy Anthology)
The science fiction and fantasy fiction fields continue to evolve, setting new marks with each passing year. For the sixth year in a row, master anthologist Jonathan Strahan has collected stories that captivate, entertain, and showcase the very best the genre has to offer. This is the only major "best of" anthology to collect both fantasy and science fiction under one cover. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE SCAR by Sergey and Marina Dyachenko (Fantasy/Adventure)
Egert is a brash, confident member of the elite guards and an egotistical philanderer who goes too far. Unable to end his suffering by his own hand, Egert embarks on an odyssey to undo the curse and the horrible damage he has caused, which can only be repaired by a painful journey down a long and harrowing path. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.

Poll:

Where do you most often talk about the books you have read or are reading? Please check as many as apply.

I talk about them with family and friends.
I talk about them with my book club.
I write about them on Goodreads.com, Amazon.com, and/or other review sites.
I talk about them online on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
I write a blog.
I talk about them at work.
I talk about them in school or class(es).
I talk about them at my local library or bookstore.
Other (Please specify)
I don’t talk about the books I read.

-Click here to answer our poll.


Word of Mouth:

Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from May 4th to May 18th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of 11th HOUR by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, THE COLUMBUS AFFAIR by Steve Berry and TO THE LAST BREATH: A Memoir of Going to Extremes by Francis Slakey.

To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, 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.

-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.