May 18, 2012

Greg’s graduation is tomorrow! And though he went to Fordham at Lincoln Center, the ceremony will be on the Bronx campus where I graduated, so this will be a real trip down memory lane for me. Last week, he informed me that as one of the alumni I can walk in the processional and sit in a special place on the dais as a Distinguished Alumna. I will be wearing a maroon sash to identify me. Even though I am into color coordinating, I am still wearing turquoise so the sash will clash!

We need to be in the Bronx by 8:30AM, which will make tomorrow morning very interesting. This week included a rush job to the tailor with Cory’s dress black pants. When he wore them on Mother’s Day, I noted that there was more ankle showing than should be! Of course, if he was wearing regular socks instead of short socks, it might not have been as noticeable. I'm looking forward to celebrating, though I confess the calculator in my brain computing how much this cost is shocking me each time I think about it. But cheer cheer to Greg, who I am happy to say will be joining The Book Report Network staff in the next week or so.

Greg’s graduation and thinking about the next phase of his life begs the question, “What’s on your Bucket List?” Thus our latest Bookshelf on 20SomethingReads.com looks at just that: Bucket List Books. Whether it’s purposeful wanderlust, extreme adventure or just plotting out things that would be fun to do, we have the books to get you started. There are five books with ideas of things to do and 15 titles from people who’ve climbed mountains, surfed oceans, traveled the world, created a charity, cooked like a pro --- and otherwise took time to check off what was on their Bucket List. See what motivates you and what dreams you still want to make come true!

I have been wickedly busy at the office these last few weeks, thus I needed to do something to get more reading time. The answer: less sleep and relying on books to energize me. And it’s been working. Last weekend, I read TIGERS IN RED WEATHER by Liza Klaussmann, which will be in stores on July 17th. It is a very ambitious debut novel told in five voices with twists and turns that rolled from page to page. The setting for most of the story is a vacation home called Tiger House on Martha’s Vineyard, which has been enjoyed by Nick (note: Nick is a woman) and Helena’s families since they were children. Following World War II, Nick is married to Hughes, and Helena has married and moved to California. Flash forward to the early ’60s, and they are on the Vineyard with their respective children, Daisy and Ed, trying to re-capture the innocence of their own youth. That idyllic thought is shattered when the children stumble upon a woman who has been murdered, which upturns their lives. And suddenly a lot of secrets come to light, and the suspense ratchets up. It is so well done, and definitely will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection.

Now I am reading CITY OF WOMEN by David R. Gillham, which will be published on August 7th. I am just 62 pages into this debut novel, which is set in Berlin during World War II, and I am loving it. I note the page because I am so entrenched in the characters and the setting already that I cannot believe I am just that far in. Berlin is a city of women as the men are off fighting on various fronts. Sigrid, the protagonist, is going through her days measuring them by her monotonous job and ration coupons. But her memories are full of moments with her Jewish lover, who she still pines for and who has disappeared. The plot setup is marvelous so far, and I feel another Bookreporter.com Bets On selection coming as I turn each page.

Last night, I went to a REALLY fun event at Barnes & Noble in Union Square where Wendy Sherman and Kim Perel hosted an evening with some of the local authors who are contributors to the terrific anthology that they edited about the first year of marriage called WEDDING CAKE FOR BREAKFAST: Essays on the Unforgettable First Year of Marriage. The pieces that the authors read were so well done, and their voices lent just the right inflection to these personal stories --- and the crowd (and there was a huge crowd) laughed and laughed. One of the best moments was when a young woman who is getting married next week asked the authors for advice, and they each shared something really poignant and perfect. We have a photo above with Kim Perel and Wendy Sherman (l to r in back row), as well as three of the authors --- Liza Monroy, Susan Shapiro and Jill Kargman (l to r in front row). We have a review of the book here, where reviewer Jana Siciliano says, "WEDDING CAKE FOR BREAKFAST is a good primer for the unmarrieds and an engaging and entertaining check-up for those of us who have been in the marital trenches for decades now. The main subject, of course, is love…and pastry. How can you turn that down?" Not only that, but it also would be a really fun shower, wedding or anniversary present to give. It’s both honest and fun.

This week, we bring a recap of another author event, this time with me interviewing my mother, Sylvia Cicetti, on Adriana Trigiani’s appearance at the Spring Lake Public Library in Spring Lake, NJ. Click here to read the interview.

Four readers wrote to tell me more about CANDY, which I referenced last week when talking about FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. Ends up that they looked it up on Wikipedia (duh!), remembering it from when it was published in 1958! One reader, Alice, even remembered the last line of it as "Good grief, it's daddy." Here is what we have on it: CANDY is a 1958 novel written by Maxwell Kenton (pseudonym of Terry Southern) in collaboration with Mason Hoffenberg, which was first published by Olympia Press and then later published in North America by Putnam under the authors' own names. The story owes elements of its plotline to Voltaire's CANDIDE. In 2006, Playboy listed CANDY among the "25 Sexiest Novels Ever Written.” So there you have it; mystery solved!

During the week, I watched a terrific piece about Buzz Bissinger (you may remember him as the author of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: A Town, a Team, and a Dream), where he talked about his book FATHER’S DAY: A Journey into the Mind and Heart of My Extraordinary Son. He has a son with brain damage, and he writes about his experience bonding with him when they took a trip cross-country. You can view it here.

I am thrilled to share that we have a new Women’s Fiction Spotlight feature going up this week for SPRING FEVER by Mary Kay Andrews, which will be out on June 5th. In it, Annajane Hudgens is at her ex-husband Mason’s wedding when a thought crosses her mind as she watches him at the altar --- she wants him back. But before she can stand and stop the ceremony, the young flower girl handles this for her as she is felled with an attack of appendicitis. And, bam, the wedding is postponed with the help of that little showstopper.

When I read it, I noted that the story whirls and twists and turns as only Mary Kay can do with multiple plotlines and nefarious deals and wrongdoings. And the action keeps up right til the end. By the way, as noted in an earlier newsletter, every reference to Quixie soda --- made in the plant that is owned by Mason’s family that is part of the history of the small North Carolina town of Pascoe where the book is set --- made me want to pop open a Cheerwine, which I always drink on the Outer Banks. For fans of SUMMER RENTAL, you are in for a real treat with this one, which is going to be on beach blankets and chairs everywhere. And, ahem, note the turquoise cover, and I think those flip-flops just scream summer reading! Readers have until Thursday, May 31st at noon ET to enter to win one of 25 copies here.

Features still going this week…and of note to those of you otherwise perhaps occupied with Mother’s Day last week...

Our Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book promotion for THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE by Courtney Miller Santo, which will be published on August 21st, continues. 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.

Two Women’s Fiction spotlights (besides the one for Mary Kay) are ongoing. Melanie Gideon is the author of WIFE 22, her debut novel for adults. 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 is THE BOOK OF SUMMERS. Click here to read more about the book and enter by Thursday, May 24th at noon ET to win one of 25 copies.

Our Paperback Spotlight features NEXT TO LOVE by Ellen Feldman. This was one of my Bookreporter.com Bets On selections last year, and you can read more about it here. 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!

And just circling back on Mother’s Day for one more moment (making it last and last) --- our Mother’s Day Blog feature, “Celebrating Authors and their Mothers,” wrapped up on Monday. You can read all the fabulous posts here and trust that their sentiments are not dated! Thank you to Dana Wilson in our office, who did a terrific job of pulling these pieces together, coordinating the scheduling, and writing all the intro copy. Coming soon will be blogs about Father’s Day…and another surprise month-long blog feature starting in June.

As always, we have reviews of interest, starting this week with THE COLUMBUS AFFAIR by Steve Berry. Tom Sagan’s career has been sabotaged, but a mysterious stranger in search of a historical secret will alter the course of his life. Reviewer Joe Hartlaub says, “History was never this interesting when I was in school, but then history never connected the line between Christopher Columbus and… but that would be telling. I don’t want to give away any part of this exquisite plot, but rest assured that Berry takes on one of antiquity’s greatest legends/mysteries and outdoes his previous efforts once again.”

IN ONE PERSON by John Irving is the story of Billy Abbott, a bisexual man who grapples with his sexual and emotional identity. It is reviewed by Roz Shea who says, "Irving compassionately brings us pathos, humor, awareness, sorrow and joy. This is an important book, tenderly written about an important and not-so-distant taboo subject."

Joe Hartlaub also reviewed THE FAMILY CORLEONE, Ed Falco’s prequel to THE GODFATHER. Vito Corleone’s kids don’t know about the secret family business --- except for eldest son Sonny, who wants to follow in his father’s footsteps. As Joe says, "Ed Falco has done yeoman’s work in THE FAMILY CORLEONE, meeting the American legend that is its subject matter head-on and creating a tale that demands to be read in one sitting."

Our poll continues, where we want to know where you most often talk about the books you have read or are reading. I look at the replies daily, so make sure to weigh in here! We have a new Word of Mouth contest starting this week. Let us know what you’re reading here for a chance to win A BLAZE OF GLORY: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh by Jeff Shaara, THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty (this also will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection) and ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE BOURNE IMPERATIVE by Eric Van Lustbader.

Next week, we will have a new contest for Father’s Day, as well as news about the start of our Summer Reading Daily Contests! Are you signed up for our Summer Reading newsletter? If not, click here to get signed up!

On the housekeeping side of things. As I mentioned last week, we have improved the Search function on Bookreporter.com and our other websites by returning to the Google search function; there is a reason they are number one in Search. Thus your search experience should be much easier going forward.

“Downton Abbey” fans take note: A special rebroadcast of “Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey Season 2" is airing in the New York area on Thursday nights at 9PM. It started last night. Consult your local listings to see if it is airing in a town near year. Mick Jagger is on “Saturday Night Live” tomorrow night. I would love to see a skit involving the song “Moves Like Jagger.” Note that no one at SNL has asked me for ideas!

As someone who started an Internet company back in 1996, I have to say I was happy for Mark Zuckerberg today. Yes, yes, yes, I know he now has tons of money, and I know people have MANY opinions about Facebook. But for taking an idea this far, I salute him. Also, through Facebook I have connected with some people I had lost track of, and it's really nice to have them back on my radar. And hey, on the Bookreporter.com Facebook page, I post things during the week when they catch my eye, so there's no need to wait for the weekend to hear from us.

Once the celebrating ends tomorrow, the plan for Sunday is for lots of reading…and relaxing as there is another busy week ahead! Read on…and here’s to finding a great book to enjoy.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

THE COLUMBUS AFFAIR by Steve Berry (Thriller/Adventure)
When a controversial report from a war-torn region is exposed as a fraud, investigative journalist Tom Sagan's professional reputation crashes and burns. He is haunted by bad decisions and the shocking truth he can never prove: that his downfall was a deliberate act of sabotage by an unknown enemy. But before Sagan can end his life, fate intervenes in the form of an enigmatic stranger with a request that cannot be ignored. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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

STOLEN PREY by John Sandford (Thriller)
In the small Minnesota town of Deephaven, an entire family has been killed. To Lucas Davenport, the scene looks an awful lot like the kind of scorched-earth retribution he has seen in drug killings sometimes. But this is a seriously upscale town, and the husband was an executive vice president at a big bank. It just doesn’t seem to fit. Until it does. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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

We have 25 copies of SPRING FEVER by Mary Kay Andrews, which will be in stores June 5th, 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 31st at noon ET.

SPRING FEVER by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
Annajane Hudgens truly believes she is over her ex-husband, Mason Bayless. They’ve been divorced for four years, she’s engaged to a new, terrific guy, and she’s ready to leave the small town where she and Mason had so much history. She is so over Mason that she has absolutely no problem attending his wedding to the beautiful, intelligent, delightful Celia. But when fate intervenes and the wedding is called to a halt as the bride is literally walking down the aisle, Annajane begins to realize that maybe she’s been given a second chance.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Mary Kay Andrews’ bio.
-Click here to visit Mary Kay Andrews’ official website.
-Connect with Mary Kay Andrews on Facebook and Twitter.
 

IN ONE PERSON by John Irving (Fiction)
Billy, the bisexual narrator and main character of IN ONE PERSON, tells the tragicomic story (lasting more than half a century) of his life as a “sexual suspect,” a phrase first used by John Irving in 1978 in his landmark novel of “terminal cases,” THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

-Click here to read more about the book.

THE FAMILY CORLEONE by Ed Falco (Historical Fiction)
While his youngest children are in school, unaware of their father's true occupation, and his adopted son is a college student, Vito Corleone worries most about Sonny, his eldest child. Vito pushes Sonny to be a businessman, but the 17-year-old wants nothing more than to follow in his father's footsteps and become a part of the real family business. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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

THEY EAT PUPPIES, DON’T THEY? by Christopher Buckley (Fiction)
When Congress declines funding for Dumbo, a predator drone built by Groepping-Sprunt, Groepping’s CEO realizes he needs to educate Americans about the threat they face from China’s ascendancy. He asks his lobbyist, Walter “Bird” McIntyre, to drum up anti-China sentiment. With the help of Angel Templeton, an Ann Coulter-like media powerhouse, Bird succeeds, but not without bringing the US and China close to war. Reviewed by Michael Magras.

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 is now in stores.

-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.

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

THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty
ReadingGroupGuides.com is celebrating the upcoming release of THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty --- a captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks to New York City in 1922, and the summer that would change them both --- with a special contest. 40 readers will have the opportunity to each win an advance copy of the book, which will be in stores June 5th, for their group. The deadline for entries is Friday, June 8th at noon ET.

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.

FaithfulReader.com

STARDUST by Carla Stewart
An East Texas widow, determined to start over, inherits a rundown motel. But when her first guest is her dead husband's mistress, pregnant and stricken with polio, a change of plans leads to a change of heart. FaithfulReader.com is celebrating the release of STARDUST with a special contest that will give readers the opportunity to win a copy of Carla Stewart’s latest novel. The deadline for entries is Friday, June 15th at noon ET.

SUBMERGED: Alaskan Courage, Book One by Dani Pettrey
FaithfulReader.com is celebrating the release of SUBMERGED, which kicks off the Alaskan Courage series, with a special contest. 50 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of Dani Pettrey's debut novel. The deadline for entries is Friday, June 15th at noon ET.

RELENTLESS PURSUIT: Secrets of Roux River Bayou, Book 3 by Kathy Herman
In FaithfulReader.com's latest monthly contest, 25 readers will be awarded a copy of RELENTLESS PURSUIT, the final book in Kathy Herman's Secrets of Roux River Bayou suspense series. As an added bonus, one of these lucky winners will receive a Cajun-themed gift basket, "From The Bayou," which represents a collage of what makes Louisiana cuisine unique. The deadline for entries is Friday, June 15th at noon ET.

THE EMERALD STORM: An Ethan Gage Adventure by William Dietrich (Historical Thriller)
On his latest adventure, Ethan Gage and his new wife, Astiza, are in the Caribbean searching for the Lost Treasure of Montezuma --- a legendary hoard rumored to have been hidden from Cortez’s plundering Spanish conquistadors. But in the pursuit, they will have to face the British and French, who want the treasure for their own sinister purposes. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE INQUISITOR’S KEY: A Body Farm Novel by Jefferson Bass (Thriller)
When Miranda Lovelady, Dr. Bill Brockton’s protégé, uncovers a stone chest during an excavation beneath the Palace of the Popes in Avignon, France, she is shocked to find an inscription claiming the chest holds the bones of none other than Jesus of Nazarus. Though she and Dr. Brockton are skeptical, evidence for authenticity appears to be strong. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

A WEDDING IN HAITI by Julia Alvarez (Memoir)
A teenager when Julia Alvarez and her husband first met him in 2001, Piti illegally crossed the border into the Dominican Republic to find work. Julia, impressed by his courage and charmed by his smile, has over the years come to think of him as a son, even promising to be at his wedding someday. When Piti calls in 2009, Julia’s promise is tested. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD I READ BOOKS: Essays by Marilynne Robinson (Essays)
In 10 erudite essays, novelist Marilynne Robinson explores a variety of political, religious and personal subjects, offering a liberal humanist perspective grounded in her Congregationalist faith on some of the dilemmas facing American society. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

WEDDING CAKE FOR BREAKFAST: Essays on the Unforgettable First Year of Marriage edited by Kim Perel and Wendy Sherman (Essays)
From the thrill and dread that comes with an unplanned pregnancy to catching up with an ex and having second thoughts, WEDDING CAKE FOR BREAKFAST offers an intimate and often surprising look at that first year of marriage through the eyes and lives of 23 acclaimed female writers. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

THE DOG WHO DANCED by Susan Wilson (Fiction)
Take one grieving older couple living under the same roof but miles apart emotionally. Add in one woman, estranged from her family for more than 25 years, heading to her dying father's bedside across the country. For good measure, complete the cast of main characters with a small sheepdog who is deliberately abandoned by the side of the road. THE DOG WHO DANCED is about family ties (or the lack thereof), the strong bond between humans and animals, and the courage to take a second chance when the opportunity presents itself. Reviewed by Carole Turner.

SPARKY AND ME: My Friendship with Sparky Anderson and the Lessons He Shared About Baseball and Life by Daniel Ewald (Memoir)
Sparky Anderson met author Dan Ewald in 1979, and thus was born a lifelong friendship not likely ever to be seen again in baseball. Along the way, Dan never took for granted the front row seat he had to watch one of history's most memorable managers’ absolute mastery of baseball's nuances and intricacies. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.

THE PROFESSIONALS by Owen Laukkanen (Thriller)
Four friends --- recent college graduates who are caught in a terrible job market --- joke about turning to kidnapping to survive. And then, suddenly, it's no joke. For two years, the strategy they devise --- quick, efficient, low risk --- works like a charm. Until they kidnap the wrong man. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE BOY WHO STOLE THE LEOPARD’S SPOTS by Tamar Myers (Historical Mystery)
In 1958, the town of Belle Vue in the Kasai Province of the Belgian Congo is a divisive and dangerous place. In the midst of Suicide Season, with African independence on the horizon, missionaries vie for the souls of the “heathen” natives, and a decades-old secret is exposed. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.

Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from May 18th to June 1st, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of A BLAZE OF GLORY: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh by Jeff Shaara, THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty, and ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE BOURNE IMPERATIVE by Eric Van Lustbader.

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.

-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.