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August 24, 2012

Bookreporter.com Newsletter August 24, 2012
Sixteen Candles As We Celebrate Our Anniversary

Yes, it’s that time of year….Monday will be the 16th anniversary of Bookreporter.com. I think the time has flown --- and then I ponder things like 14.4k modems and the original Spartan design of the site (art was compressed into postage-sized images so it could be downloaded quickly ) --- and the way we’ve grown from one website to seven, and it feels like a lifetime. Looking back at the old pre-broadband days spurs a lot of memories of books, authors, publishing friends --- and most of all the staffers who have been a part of The Book Report Network since those early days.

We still are in the same office space, though it’s grown through the years. There are many times when, as I look around, I do not just see the people who are there now, but also I remember those who were there in the past. My mom very kindly sent a card to all of us at the office (you can see it above) to congratulate us on this milestone. I am lucky to have an incredible team working with me to deliver the updates that you see each week.

Tom Donadio, our Editorial Director, oversees EVERY piece of content that you see on the site --- from reviews to promos to, well, every word. Vicky Kariolic works with Tom on all aspects of production to ensure the sites look sharp and function well, and recently took on a new role managing our contests. Jenni Lai creates the art you see on the pages and always surprises us with her great designs. Maureen Linehan and my son, Greg, work on everything from feature development to advertising and promotion to brainstorming what we do next to make Bookreporter.com even more exciting. Our intern, Alina Berganovsky, jumps in on everything from pulling together newsletter content and promos to the incredibly busy job of opening the dozens of books that we get each day, while our other intern, David Gromer, oversees content like Word of Mouth.

I hate wasting time in meetings, thus we have ONE staff meeting a week, usually on a Monday, and from there plan ALL of our updates for the week. From there, everyone just does what they need to do!

Our reviewers are far-flung, and while I have met a handful, I would love to get to spend more time traveling the country to see more of them --- and talk books and life. My reading horizons have expanded enormously from suggestions from our reviewers and readers, and I am very, very lucky to get to do something I love so much every single week.

Which brings me to all of you. Your feedback and your great emails and notes mean so much to all of us. There are some readers who have been with us for 16 years...others have joined us more recently. To all of you from all of us, a VERY big THANK YOU!

As we have done for the last 15 years, next week we will take a hiatus to give the staff and myself some downtime to get away in what has traditionally been one of the quietest weeks of the year for publishing. Since for me vacation means even more time for reading, I already have my suitcase of books packed (you can see it above) and my iPad loaded with manuscripts. I guess I will call this a busman’s holiday.

We are headed once again to the Outer Banks, and I am hoping that after two years of being evacuated for hurricanes during this same week, we can spend a peaceful time there just relaxing. It’s going to be a rather bittersweet trip as I know it’s the last time we will do this trip like this for quite a while. Cory is entering his last year of high school, and this time next year will probably find him off to college. He’s bringing his friend Josh (Son 2A) along with us, and we’re tagging on a couple of extra days to make this vacation really last. It will be nice to be away for more than a week! Greg is staying behind to handle things at the office, which I really appreciate; he’s not been with us on this trip since 2008! Change….it’s never easy!

Lots of great books on the lineup this week. So let’s get the anniversary celebration rolling the way we do best: with some reviews!

First up, Jonathan Tropper’s highly-anticipated new novel, ONE LAST THING BEFORE I GO, is now in stores. Drew Silver needs life-saving heart surgery but refuses it because he wants to spend the time he has left repairing relationships with his loved ones. His ex-wife is getting re-married and his daughter is pregnant, but does Drew have enough time to resolve everything before his time runs out? Our reviewer Michael Magras says, “For all the vulgarity and sarcasm in ONE LAST THING BEFORE I GO, there’s a surprising tenderness to some of the writing. Many of Silver’s conversations with Casey are hard-edged and bitter, but some are disarmingly moving…. Tropper’s latest work is proof that, in the hands of a good writer, there’s no such thing as men’s fiction or women’s fiction. There’s only good fiction. And ONE LAST THING BEFORE I GO is commercial fiction of the highest caliber.” High deserved praise!

Our Mystery Mayhem Author Spotlight feature for William Kent Krueger and TRICKSTER’S POINT continues with our review and interview. In this 12th installment of the Cork O’ Connor series, Cork is sitting on a mountain with the Native American governor-elect (and good friend) Jubal Little. But Jubal is dying from an arrow to the heart, and the arrow just happens to belong to Cork, who is now the primary suspect in the murder. Reviewer Joe Hartlaub says, “William Kent Krueger has crafted a strong and memorable series that never fails to surpass itself with each installment. TRICKSTER’S POINT continues that tradition, containing some of Krueger’s best prose to date in what is perhaps his strongest, most intriguing novel yet.” Joe also had a chance to interview Kent, who talks about the relationship between Cork and Jubal and the Minnesota setting of his novels. And tucked in my bag for this trip is Kent’s next novel, a stand-alone called ORDINARY GRACE, which will be out next spring.

Earlier this year, we gave you a sneak peek of THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE, Courtney Miller Santo’s much-talked debut novel. The book finally released this week, and we’re thrilled to share it with you once again. The Keller family women (five generations of them) lead ordinary lives on their secluded olive grove, but possess unusually long life spans. When a geneticist comes to study them, it ignites explosive emotions that they have kept buried and uncover revelations that will shake them all to their roots. Reviewer Sarah Rachel Egelman says, “Santo’s power is in description and word choice, and this is where she truly shines. Overall, THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE is an ambitious and compelling novel, which will have readers thinking about the powers of olives and their oil long after the reading is finished.” Readers who won the chance to preview the book in our Sneak Peek contest had some wonderful things to say about it. Here are a few of their comments:

Kim: "I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I found the back story to be a very interesting concept, studying a family of 'superagers' and the possible genetic code for longevity. But I most enjoyed 'getting to know' each family member, and could feel the love that held all the generations close, even though they didn’t always like each other. I love character-driven novels, and I like how the book focuses on different characters in different chapters. This gives the reader insight into each one, at different times, helping to understand what makes that person 'tick.'"

Mary: "I enjoyed reading THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE. I especially liked the story of how five generations of women could live in the same house with some of them not talking to each other. The secrets held by the women created a lot of injury and discord. I found the book compelling and hard to put down."

Renee: "I enjoyed reading this book. The author's use of imagery made the scenes come to life; I would call the book a combination of history, genetics, romance, family relationships, medicine, agriculture and scientific curiosity. The author explores all these themes and intertwines them in a lovely story of multigenerational women."

A new Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight launches this week with Rebecca Coleman, who many of you may remember from her first novel, THE KINGDOM OF CHILDHOOD (which we also spotlighted in our Sneak Peek feature). She has followed up this debut with her second novel, HEAVEN SHOULD FALL. Jill Wagner is mourning her mother’s death when she meets and falls in love with perfect golden boy Cade Olmstead. When she gets pregnant, Jill goes to live with Cade, but his brother’s death changes him, and Cade becomes dangerous and desperate for vengeance. Jill has to protect herself and her child at all costs. Enter by Thursday, September 6th at noon ET for your chance to be one of 25 winners of the book who will be chosen to read and comment on it.

Since we won’t be sending a newsletter next week, we wanted to let you know about two big books releasing on Tuesday the 28th, both of which have been adapted into very popular TV shows.

In LAST TO DIE, Tess Gerritsen’s latest Rizzoli & Isles novel, attempts are made on an orphan’s life, and Jane and Maura are tasked with investigating. But they quickly discover that he isn’t the only child in danger, and an unspeakable secret dooms the children’s fate. According to Joe Hartlaub, “the most compelling reason for reading [LAST TO DIE] is that the entire narrative is propelled by an exciting and puzzling mystery…. This is a key book in a series that keeps getting better and better.”

Also out next week is BONES ARE FOREVER by Kathy Reichs. This time, Temperance Brennan is asked to examine the corpses of three babies, while her long-time flame, Detective Ryan, investigates the babies’ mother. Will their relationship get in the way of their work, or will they make the perfect partners on this case? Reviewer Roz Shea says, “Fans relish the explicit forensic minutiae and often, as in the case of BONES ARE FOREVER, receive the bonus of a comprehensive and fascinating background on diamonds, their creation, and the complexities of extracting them from the earth.”

Gregg Hurwitz is back with THE SURVIVOR, and we are shouting “bravo” about it. The book introduces readers to divorced former solider Nate Overbay, who is suffering from PTSD and dying from ALS. He decides to commit suicide, but while attempting to do so, he witnesses a bank robbery. With nothing to lose, Nate saves the day and takes out all the robbers. But before the last one escapes, he gives Nate a powerful warning --- a warning that will have Nate rushing to save his family. Joe Hartlaub calls THE SURVIVOR “by far Gregg Hurwitz's best novel to date” and says the book “has it all: pathos, humor, romance, character, and, oh yeah, a bit of violence as well. It’s a story of coming of age, redemption, bravery and valor that's incredibly well-written and fully and sharply developed.”

We are happy to share Mark Sullivan’s latest eBook short story exclusive, THE ESCAPE ARTIST, the third prequel to his upcoming novel, ROGUE. Take a moment to meet Robin Monarch, a world-class thief and highly skilled operative who is tested when he is sent into an encampment run by Lieutenant Zed. Monarch’s task is to steal the most perfect diamond yet seen, before Zed can sell it and wage a war. It may be just a short story, but this plot is rich with big action scenes. Joe, who we’ve kept very busy this week, calls this eBook “a reading experience that both satisfies and creates a hunger for more…. Sullivan has created an intriguing and complex character in Monarch, one for whom there are obviously many stories, past and present, left to tell. ROGUE, a full-length Robin Monarch hardcover, will be in stores on October 2nd.

To coincide with this month’s Teenreads.com update, we’ve added several new books to our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature. They are EVERY DAY by David Levithan, DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier, WAKE: A Watersong Novel by Amanda Hocking, and SMALL DAMAGES by Beth Kephart.

We would love to expand our nonfiction coverage on Bookreporter.com, and are looking for ideas and volunteer reviewers who are interested in this genre. If you have any feedback on what you’d like to see with our nonfiction coverage, or are interested in reviewing nonfiction for us, please email Greg Fitzgerald at Greg@bookreporter.com.

In this week’s poll, we have two questions. We’re curious about how many hours a day during the week and over the weekend you devote to pleasure reading. And we have a new Word of Mouth contest starting today. Let us know what you’re reading by Friday, September 7th at noon ET for your chance to win the aforementioned BONES ARE FOREVER and LAST TO DIE, along with THE TIME KEEPER, Mitch Albom’s eagerly awaited next novel (which releases on September 4th).

Our Fall Preview contests have come to an end, but we remind you that the complete list of titles for our Fall Preview feature can be found here:

THE ART FORGER by B. A. Shapiro
BEAUTIFUL LIES by Clare Clark
CATHERINE THE GREAT: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie
HEMINGWAY’S GIRL by Erika Robuck
IN SUNLIGHT AND IN SHADOW by Mark Helprin
KEPT IN THE DARK by Penny Hancock
LOVE ANTHONY by Lisa Genova
THE MALICE OF FORTUNE by Michael Ennis
MY BRILLIANT FRIEND by Elena Ferrante
PANORAMA CITY by Antoine Wilson
REARVIEW MIRROR: A Memoir by Alana Stewart

Last week, I shared a number of videos that caught my eye, but I realize I missed one that I had bookmarked. Check out this video clip of Daniel Silva talking to Nancy Pearl, the host of BookLust. Here, he discusses his new novel, THE FALLEN ANGEL, and protagonist Gabriel Allon, along with the unique art aspect of his series.

I LOVE clever promotions, and the one for “Coma,” a miniseries airing on A&E on September 3rd and 4th, has been brilliant. When I was in San Diego for Comic-Con, they had street teams of patients and doctors inviting folks to the Jefferson Institute; well, the doctors were inviting us while the patients were cautioning us to stay away. We stopped by the promo area, and I was wristbanded and got into the tour. Flash forward, and this week FedEx was very anxiously knocking on my door one morning. They usually just leave a package, so I wondered what was going on. Look at the photo above, and you will see why they probably reacted the way they did! How cool --- literally -- is that promotion setup? Watch or set your DVRs for this program based on Robin Cook’s book.

Finally, Changing Hands Bookstore has given me a word to describe my need to buy books and have them pile up unread on my shelves. The word is tsundoku and the definition is “buying books and not reading them; letting books pile up unread on shelves or floors or nightstands.” Be sure to “like” Changing Hands Bookstore for more fun pictures featuring our favorite pastime: reading! And I am sooooo guilty of this!

As I am packing, I am thinking of the frog that has been hanging out in the pool these past few weeks. Each night, when I turn on the pool light, my little green friend hops into the pool and starts an aggressive frog kick that I should be so good as to mimic! Hope he’s here when I get back. Actually, he may love having the pool to himself!


Enjoy these next two weeks; we’ll be back on the 7th. Thank you for reading. Without you, I’d never have the opportunity to work at the best job that I could ask for! Read on….

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)


PS. When you use the links below to purchase books, you also support Bookreporter.com as we have affiliate arrangements with each of them. Please consider this when purchasing books!

Now in Stores: ONE LAST THING BEFORE I GO by Jonathan Tropper

ONE LAST THING BEFORE I GO by Jonathan Tropper (Fiction)
Drew Silver is 44, divorced, and living alone at the Versailles, an apartment complex off the interstate and home mainly to divorced men. His ex-wife is about to marry a respected surgeon. His 18-year-old daughter, headed to Princeton in the fall, is pregnant. And now a heart ailment forces Silver to begin to take life seriously before it prematurely ends. Reviewed by Michael Magras.

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

Click here to read a review.
Bookreporter.com Talks to William Kent Krueger, Author of TRICKSTER’S POINT

In TRICKSTER'S POINT, the 12th installment in William Kent Krueger's Cork O' Connor series, Cork is sitting on a mountain with a wounded Native-American governor elect. The arrow in the man's chest just happens to belong to Cork, who becomes the primary suspect in the murder. In this interview, conducted by Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, Krueger talks about the landscape of his novels, the mythologies he incorporated in the writing of his latest book, and the complexity of the relationship among Cork, Winona and Jubal.

TRICKSTER’S POINT by William Kent Krueger (Mystery)
The unsinkable Cork O’Connor is sitting in the shadow of a towering monolith known as Trickster’s Point, deep in the Minnesota wilderness. Beside him is the first Native American governor-elect, Jubal Little, who is slowly dying with an arrow through his heart. Although the men have been bow hunting, this is no accident. The arrow in the governor’s heart belongs to Cork, who becomes the primary suspect in the murder. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
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Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read William Kent Krueger’s bio.
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Click here to visit William Kent Krueger’s website.
-Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.

-Click here to read more in our Mystery Mayhem Author Spotlight.

Click here to read our interview.
An Interview with Courtney Miller Santo, Author of THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE

Courtney Miller Santo’s debut novel, THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE, tells the story of five generations of miraculous firstborn women who live in a house together on a California olive grove. When a geneticist comes to study these marvels of longevity, Erin announces she is pregnant with a firstborn boy and the Keller women's world is blown wide open. In this interview, Santo discusses her extensive research process and shares some of the latest incredible findings about human longevity. She also gives insight into her characters and explains how some of them came into her mind fully formed.

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. Told from varying viewpoints, Courtney Miller Santo’s debut novel captures the joys and sorrows of family --- the love, secrets, disappointments, jealousies and forgiveness that tie generations to one other. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.

Click here to read the interview.
New Featured Women’s Fiction Author: Rebecca Coleman, Author of HEAVEN SHOULD FALL

We have 25 copies of HEAVEN SHOULD FALL by Rebecca Coleman, which will be in stores September 25th, to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, September 6th at noon ET.

HEAVEN SHOULD FALL by Rebecca Coleman (Fiction)
Alone since her mother’s death, Jill Wagner wants to eat, sleep and breathe Cade Olmstead when he bursts upon her life --- golden, handsome and ambitious. Even putting college on hold feels like a minor sacrifice when she discovers she’s pregnant with Cade’s baby. But it won’t be the last one she’ll have to make.

Retreating to the Olmstead’s New England farm seems sensible, if not ideal: they’ll regroup and welcome the baby, surrounded by Cade’s family. But the remote, ramshackle place already feels crowded. Cade’s mother tends to his ailing father, while Cade’s pious sister, her bigoted husband and their rowdy sons overrun the house. Only Cade’s brother, Elias, a combat veteran with a damaged spirit, gives Jill an ally amidst the chaos, along with a glimpse into his disturbing childhood. But his burden is heavy, and she alone cannot kindle his will to live.

The tragedy of Elias is like a killing frost, withering Cade in particular, transforming his idealism into bitterness and paranoia. Taking solace in caring for her newborn son, Jill looks up to find her golden boy is gone. In Cade’s place is a desperate man willing to endanger them all in the name of vengeance…unless Jill can find a way out.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Rebecca Coleman’s bio.
-Click here to visit Rebecca Coleman’s official website.

Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight.
In Stores August 28th: LAST TO DIE by Tess Gerritsen

LAST TO DIE: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen (Thriller)
When several attempts on an orphan’s life prove to be part of a grisly plot, detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles take matters into their own hands. It's not just this one orphan in danger; an unspeakable secret dooms the children's fate unless Jane and Maura can finally put an end to an obsessed killer's twisted quest. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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

Click here to read a review.
In Stores August 28th: BONES ARE FOREVER by Kathy Reichs

BONES ARE FOREVER by Kathy Reichs (Thriller)
Temperance Brennan has been asked to examine the corpses of three dead babies in Montreal, while her long-time flame, Detective Ryan, is investigating the infants’ mother. When the woman flees to Edmonton, the investigation is joined by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police sergeant with whom Tempe had an ill-advised fling over a decade earlier. The dissonant team heads to a remote diamond-mining city to pursue an ever more sinister trail. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

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

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE by Maria Semple

WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE by Maria Semple (Fiction)
Bernadette Fox has disappeared. It began when her daughter, Bee, aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle --- and people in general --- has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents and secret correspondence. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

-Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: THE SURVIVOR by Gregg Hurwitz

THE SURVIVOR by Gregg Hurwitz (Thriller)
Nate Overbay --- a divorced former solider suffering from PTSD and slowly dying from ALS --- is about to commit suicide when a crew of robbers bursts into a bank. With nothing to lose, Nate confronts the robbers, taking them out one-by-one. The last man standing leaves Nate with a cryptic warning. Soon he is kidnapped by the mastermind of the failed heist and is given an ultimatum that could lead to the murder of his ex-wife and teenage daughter. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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

Click here to read a review.
Now Available: THE ESCAPE ARTIST by Mark Sullivan --- an eBook Short Story Exclusive

THE ESCAPE ARTIST: A Robin Monarch Short Story by Mark Sullivan (Thriller)
Monarch’s abilities --- and his nerve --- are tested when he’s sent deep into the jungles of the Congo, into the encampment of an army of boy-soldiers under the leadership of a man calling himself Lieutenant Zed. He’s undercover as a black market diamond dealer. His job is to steal the largest, most perfect diamond yet seen before Zed is able to sell it and use the proceeds to continue waging war. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to visit Mark Sullivan’s official website.

Click here to read a review.
 
Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Linwood Barclay, Author of TRUST YOUR EYES --- On Sale September 4th

TRUST YOUR EYES by Linwood Barclay (Thriller)
Thomas Kilbride is a map-obsessed schizophrenic so affected that he rarely leaves the self-imposed bastion of his bedroom. But with a computer program called Whirl360.com, he travels the world while never so much as stepping out the door. He pores over and memorizes the streets of the world. He examines every address, as well as the people who are frozen in time on his computer screen.

Then he sees something that anyone else might have stumbled upon --- but has not --- in a street view of downtown New York City: an image in a window. An image that looks like a woman being murdered.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to watch the book trailer.
-Click here to read Linwood Barclay’s bio.

-Connect with Linwood Barclay on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.

Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
Contests Running on Other Sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com
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!


ReadingGroupGuides.com

“What Are You Reading?” Monthly Contest Feature
We’re thrilled to announce our NEW “What Are You Reading?” Monthly Contest Feature. To enter, all you have to do is let us know what your group is reading THIS MONTH (August), and you’ll be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! We’re kicking off this brand-new feature with ONE MOUNTAIN AWAY, Emilie Richards’ novel about a tough, do-anything-to-succeed real-estate developer who, after facing her own mortality one terrifying day, realizes that her ambition has almost destroyed her chance at happiness. We have 12 copies of the book, which is now in stores, to give away to five groups. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, September 4th at noon ET.


THE PIGEON PIE MYSTERY by Julia Stuart
We are celebrating the release of THE PIGEON PIE MYSTERY by Julia Stuart --- a clever murder mystery set in Victorian England --- with a special contest. 25 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, September 4th at noon ET.


GOODBYE FOR NOW by Laurie Frankel
We are celebrating the release of GOODBYE FOR NOW by Laurie Frankel --- an entertaining and warmhearted novel that explores the nature of love, loss and life (both real and computer-simulated) --- with a special contest. Five readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, September 4th at noon ET.


ReadingGroupGuides.com Newsletter Contest
Win copies of CITY OF WOMEN by David R. Gillham for your group! To be a group to win 20 copies of this book, all you have to do is sign up for the ReadingGroupGuides.com newsletter by September 1st.

Registered Book Group Contest
For August, we have a very special opportunity for Registered Book Groups. Three groups will be able to chat with Neil Abramson and receive 12 copies of his book, UNSAID, which is now available in paperback. Groups that have registered with us by Wednesday, August 15th will have the chance to win. If your group is not registered, click here to register.

Teenreads.com

ENCLAVE by Ann Aguirre

Looking for a great book that is sure to generate lots of discussion in your reading group? Then check out the post-apocalyptic novel ENCLAVE, Ann Aguirre's first book for young adults. Teenreads.com is giving away up to 20 copies of the paperback edition to the winning book club. The deadline for entries is Friday, September 21st at noon ET.

Grab Bag of Books
Each month in our Grab Bag of Books contest, five readers are awarded a Teenreads.com signature tote bag filled with some of the hottest books --- and may even include a sneak peek at titles that haven’t been released yet! Winners of our latest Grab Bag of Books contest will each receive a copy of OVER YOU by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus and THE RAFT by S. A. Bodeen. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, September 19th at noon ET.


FaithfulReader.com

WESTWARD HEARTS: Homeward on the Oregon Trail, Book 1 by Melody Carlson
We are celebrating the release of WESTWARD HEARTS with a special contest that will give 75 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this first installment in Melody Carlson's Homeward on the Oregon Trail series. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

DIGITAL WINTER by Mark Hitchcock and Alton Gansky
We are celebrating the release of DIGITAL WINTER by Mark Hitchcock and Alton Gansky with a special contest that will give 75 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this suspenseful and fast-moving story of life after a massive cyber attack. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

OVER THE EDGE: The Kincaid Brides, Book 3 by Mary Connealy
We are celebrating the release of OVER THE EDGE with a special contest that will give 50 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this third installment in Mary Connealy's The Kincaid Brides series. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

ABDUCTED: Pacific Coast Justice Series, Book 2 by Janice Cantore
We are celebrating the release of ABDUCTED with a special contest that will give 10 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this second installment in Janice Cantore's Pacific Coast Justice series. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com’s Monthly Contest
In our
latest monthly contest, five readers each will be awarded a copy of THE REUNION by Dan Walsh, in which a Vietnam vet who came home from the war and lost everything is about to be found. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

This Week’s Reviews

THE KINGMAKER’S DAUGHTER by Philippa Gregory (Historical Fiction)
THE KINGMAKER'S DAUGHTER is the gripping story of the daughters of the man known as the “Kingmaker,” Richard, Earl of Warwick: the most powerful magnate in 15th-century England. Without a son and heir, he uses his two daughters as pawns in the political games, and they grow up to be influential players in their own right. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.


WINTER JOURNAL by Paul Auster (Memoir)
Facing his 63rd winter, Paul Auster sits down to write a history of his body and its sensations --- both pleasurable and painful. Thirty years after the publication of THE INVENTION OF SOLITUDE, in which he wrote so movingly about fatherhood, Auster gives us a second unconventional memoir in which he writes about his mother's life and death. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.


WARDS OF FAERIE: The Dark Legacy of Shannara by Terry Brooks (Fantasy)
The Four Lands hang in the balance between science and magic as subversive elements take up arms against the Druid Council. Humans and their allies have developed dangerous weapons using the forbidden secrets of science that long ago destroyed the world. Then a clue to four sets of precious Elfstones is discovered. Their magic has been missing for thousands of years. If it can be regained, the balance of power may shift once again.... Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.


THE ABSENT ONE by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Psychological Thriller)
Detective Carl Mørck is intrigued when a closed case lands on his desk: A brother and sister were brutally murdered two decades earlier, and one of the suspects --- part of a group of privileged boarding-school students --- confessed and was convicted. But once Mørck reopens the files, it becomes clear that all is not what it seems. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.


THE BARTENDER’S TALE by Ivan Doig (Historical Fiction)
Tom Harry and his son, Rusty, make an odd kind of family, with Tom’s venerable bar their true home, but they manage just fine. That is, until the summer of 1960, when Rusty turns 12. Change arrives with gale force, in the person of Proxy, a taxi dancer Tom previously knew, and her beatnik daughter, Francine. Is Francine, as Proxy claims, the unsuspected legacy of her and Tom’s past? Reviewed by Roz Shea.


A KILLING IN THE HILLS by Julia Keller (Mystery)
Three elderly men are gunned down at a local diner. One of the witnesses to the brutal incident was Carla Elkins, the prosecuting attorney’s daughter, who believes she might be uniquely placed to help her mother do her job. But could Carla also end up doing more harm than good --- in fact, putting her own life in danger? Reviewed by Kate Ayers.


THE SECOND EMPRESS: A Novel of Napoleon's Court by Michelle Moran (Historical Fiction)
In THE SECOND EMPRESS, Michelle Moran brings us into the lives of the women who knew Napoleon best: Hortense Beauharnais, his stepdaughter from wife Joséphine's previous marriage; Pauline Bonaparte, his infamous and promiscuous sister with whom he likely had an affair; and Marie-Louise, the Austrian wife who cannot wait to be free of him. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.


THE MAP OF LOST MEMORIES by Kim Fay (Historical Thriller/Adventure)
Irene Blum is reeling from the death of her father and the loss of her position at the museum she helped to build. When a mentor gives her a diary showing the possible location of an ancient temple deep in the Cambodian jungle, Irene sets out to find the temple and the mysterious scrolls supposedly hidden there, hoping to claim a reputation she believes she deserves. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.

Young Adult Books You Want to Read

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:


EVERY DAY by David Levithan (Romance)
Every morning, A wakes in a different person’s body, a different person’s life. He lives by three rules: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere. That is, until he wakes up in Justin's body and meets Justin's girlfriend. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with --- day in, day out, day after day. Reviewed by Benjamin Boche.


DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier (Graphic Novel)
Callie decides to throw herself wholeheartedly in helping to stage Moon Over Mississippi, a musical, at her school. Her boy-crazy nature gets a boost when two cute twin brothers named Justin and Jesse show an interest in the play and in her --- albeit in different ways. Reviewed by Ryan Donovan.


WAKE: A Watersong Novel by Amanda Hocking (Paranormal Romance/Fantasy)
Gemma seems to have it all --- she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She is forced to choose between staying with those she loves --- or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets. Reviewed by Kim Naples.


SMALL DAMAGES by Beth Kephart (Fiction)
In a unique slant on a fairly common subject, 18-year-old Kenzie finds herself pregnant. Her boyfriend's response is "What are you going to do?" Her mother's response is to pack Kenzie off to Spain where adoptive parents await. Of course, Kenzie has her own response to the twist in her story...and what it is may well surprise both her and the readers of this subtly stunning tale. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

Click here to see all the young adult books we recommend you read.
This Week’s Poll and Word of Mouth Contest

Poll:

During the week, approximately how many hours a day do you typically devote to pleasure reading?

On the weekend, approximately how many hours a day do you typically devote to pleasure reading?

-Click here to answer the 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 August 24th to September 7th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of BONES ARE FOREVER by Kathy Reichs, LAST TO DIE: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen, and THE TIME KEEPER by Mitch Albom.


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.

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Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: www.20SomethingReads.com, www.Teenreads.com, www.Kidsreads.com, www.ReadingGroupGuides.com, www.GraphicNovelReporter.com, www.FaithfulReader.com and www.AuthorsOnTheWeb.com.

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