 |
|
Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
April 5, 2013 |
|
|
|
|
The Turquoise Caught My Eye…and Then….
|
 |
The other night, I was scrolling through my personal Facebook newsfeed when I saw my publishing friend Twila sporting some really pretty turquoise nail polish (which you can see above). Since turquoise catches my eye --- always --- I was intrigued. First, a confession: I am a terrible nail-biter; this is something that started when I was three years old and Lassie headed off a cliff. Yes, I am blaming a dog on television for my nasty habit, but my mom swears that was when it all began. The way I see it, if only Timmy had been there when Lassie needed him, I would be mani/pedi-ing instead of just pedi-ing. A few weeks ago, I was in the nail salon picking out pedicure polish when I mentioned that I did not understand aqua fingers, but these turquoise ones on Twila were something completely different and eye-catching.
So it ends up that Twila was wearing this color for a purpose. It’s Taylor Blue, a specially-colored polish created by OPI that was made for a foundation called TaylorsGift.org to promote organ donation awareness during National Donate Life Month. The genesis of this project came during a heartbreaking moment in March 2010 when Taylor Storch’s family was skiing in Colorado at Beaver Creek. On a run at the end of the day with her dad and brother (a run that I have skied many, many times), Taylor fell off the trail and hit her head. Though wearing a helmet, she sustained a critical head injury, was airlifted to a trauma center and declared brain dead the following afternoon. Her parents made a decision to donate her organs, but decided to take their mission one step further. When they returned home to Texas, they started a foundation to promote not only organ donation awareness, but also education about what families of organ donors go through before, during and after transplants.
In our “On Sale This Week” newsletter this week, you may have seen coverage of the book that Taylor’s parents, Todd and Tara, wrote called TAYLOR’S GIFT. They were in New York this week to promote it, and I invited them to come by the office to talk about the book and their charity. We spent an all-too-quick hour together where they shared both their mission and their personal story. Their slogan “outlive yourself” says it all about what you can do by being an organ donor --- and, if interested, you can sign up to be a donor here. The Storchs have met four of the five people who benefitted from Taylor’s death --- and their stories, along with those of the Storch family rebuilding their lives after Taylor --- are part of what makes this book special. Greg snapped the photo of Todd, Tara (who is holding a jar of the polish) and me above, which has a whole lot of turquoise going on.
This week, we have our review of STARTING NOW, the latest book in Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street series. Libby Morgan is dedicated to her job as a lawyer --- so dedicated, in fact, that she has given up on everything else (her first marriage, friends and hobbies) in her quest to become partner. Her plans are derailed, however, when her firm shockingly lays her off. Can she somehow accomplish her life's goal, or will something else take its place? Reviewer Terry Miller Shannon raves, “STARTING NOW combines Macomber’s winning elements of romance and friendship, along with a search for one woman's life's meaning --- all cozily bundled into a warmly satisfying story that is the very definition of ‘comfort reading.’” And for those who, like me, are knitters, yes, there’s a yarn story thread throughout the book! Read more about the book and Debbie on her brand-new website that just launched this week.
Last week, we reviewed LIFE AFTER LIFE by Jill McCorkle. This week, we focus our attention on Kate Atkinson’s latest novel, which is also called LIFE AFTER LIFE. Though the plots are completely different, they are both Indie Next #1 Selections for April. Booksellers loved them both…and I did, too! The theme of Atkinson’s book is “What if you could live again and again, until you got it right?” It opens in 1910 when Ursula Todd is born during a wicked snowstorm. She dies. And then is immediately re-born. This same theme runs through the entire book, taking readers to World War II. Reviewer Norah Piehl says that Atkinson “introduces readers not only to Ursula's vivid inner life, but also to the dozens of people whose lives she touches, time after time. LIFE AFTER LIFE is Kate Atkinson at her brilliantly inventive best.” When I finished it, I wanted to go back and take notes. It would be one really cool movie!
After months of personal anticipation, Christina Baker Kline’s latest novel, ORPHAN TRAIN, is now in stores, and it is a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly Ayer out of juvie and worse. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that they aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children. Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life --- answers that will ultimately free them both. Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this book.
Norah Piehl has our review and says, “Readers who are unfamiliar with this episode in American history might be surprised to learn about the hardships and be struck by the parallels between Niamh/Vivian's experience nearly a hundred years ago and the foster care system today.” Back in September, readers in our Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book feature won copies of ORPHAN TRAIN. We gave them a series of questions to gauge their reactions to the book, and you can read some of their comments (which are all raves!) here.
Our coverage of ORPHAN TRAIN extends to our ReadingGroupGuides.com site, where we’re giving three book clubs the chance to win 12 copies of the book. All you have to do is let us know what your group is reading this month by filling out this form. The deadline for entries is Monday, May 6th at noon ET.
The latest title in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight is FLY AWAY, the long-awaited follow-up to Kristin Hannah’s 2008 novel, FIREFLY LANE. I read a manuscript of the book back in November, and it was so worth the wait! All the characters’ stories are rich, fully fleshed out and intertwined to propel the action forward. And the back story is so well told that this can easily work as a stand-alone, so it’s not absolutely necessary to have read FIREFLY LANE (though I recommend you do!). We have 50 copies of FLY AWAY to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. (I can’t wait to hear what you have to say!) To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 18th at noon ET.
We’re also announcing a contest for Deanna Raybourn’s upcoming novel, A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS, which releases on April 30th. As the fallout to her latest scandal, Delilah Drummond has been exiled to Kenya and her favorite stepfather's savanna manor house. There, she meets Ryder White, who becomes her guide to the complex beauty of this unknown world. Only when this sacred place is profaned by bloodshed does Delilah discover what is truly worth fighting for --- and what she can no longer live without. Many of you, like me, are longtime fans of Deanna’s, and she stretches her writing in a new direction here. We’re awarding 25 readers a copy of the book; all you have to do is fill out this form by Thursday, April 18th at noon ET.
Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of HEART OF PALM enters its final week with our review and interview. In Laura Lee Smith’s debut novel, we meet the Bravos, whose small southern town is faded, and the people there are going through the motions. A land deal that’s in the works could completely change things --- but it all hinges on the Bravos’ next move. According to reviewer Alexis Burling, “To match the expertly plotted…and tonally diverse…story, Smith’s prose fizzes with flavor…and it’s this artfully balanced mixture of creativity and craft that make HEART OF PALM so undoubtedly rewarding.” Alexis also had a chance to interview the author, who talks about the book’s setting, characters, themes, and much more.
As promised, I’m making ORDINARY GRACE, William Kent Krueger’s stand-alone departure from his Cork O’Connor series, a Bets On selection this week. As I said in last week’s newsletter, it truly is one of the best books that I have read. Click here to see why I think so. And in case you missed it, you can check out Sneak Peek comments from our readers, all of which are raves, here.
I wanted to let you know about three books releasing this week that have been getting lots of attention leading up to their publication dates…and we have reviews of them all. First up is RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA, Kimberly McCreight’s debut novel. Fifteen-year-old Amelia has been suspended from school, but when her mother Kate arrives at St. Grace, she finds a scene far worse than she could have ever imagined. Despondent over having been accused of cheating, Amelia has jumped to her death from the school’s roof. Kate believes that story until she gets an anonymous text: She didn’t jump.
Reviewer Sally M. Tibbetts calls RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA “a book that should be read by parents, teachers and students alike.” Meanwhile, Entertainment Weekly says, “Like GONE GIRL, it should be hailed as one of the best books of the year.” This is a perfect crossover title for teens; in fact, it’s one of the prizes we’re awarding to the winners of our Spring Fling Giveaway on Teenreads.com. Enter by Tuesday, April 30th at noon ET for your chance to win this book, along with eight others.
Another debut novel with lots of pre-publication buzz is THE FEVER TREE by Jennifer McVeigh. Frances Irvine, left destitute in the wake of her father’s sudden death, has been forced to abandon her life of wealth and privilege in London and emigrate to the Southern Cape of Africa. 1880 South Africa is a country torn apart by greed. In this remote and inhospitable land she becomes entangled with two very different men --- one driven by ambition, the other by his ideals. Only when the rumor of a smallpox epidemic takes her into the dark heart of the diamond mines does she see her path to happiness. Reviewer Jennifer Romanello says, “Jennifer McVeigh vividly describes the hidden beauty of South Africa’s barren landscape and the very human consequences of power and greed. THE FEVER TREE is also a riveting love story and a well-told tale of one woman’s journey towards self-discovery.” I so agree. The book is richly atmospheric, and Frances is a very strong protagonist.
Lastly is WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY, the latest book from Wendy Wax, who has been a friend of Bookreporter.com for years. When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings of “Downton Abbey,” four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama, and --- even more unexpectedly --- with each other. Jane Krebs has our review and says, “Honesty in any relationship is vital, and Wax shows this truth in downtown Atlanta alongside the engrossing story of ‘Downton Abbey.’”
We’ve posted this month’s roundup of New in Paperback titles, one of which is LOVE ANTHONY by Lisa Genova, a Bets On selection when it released in hardcover. This heartfelt novel is about an accidental friendship that gives a grieving mother a priceless gift: the ability to understand the thoughts of her eight-year-old autistic son and make sense of his brief life. Fittingly enough, the paperback released Tuesday on World Autism Awareness Day; in fact, April is World Autism Awareness Month.
Other paperback highlights for April include BROKEN HARBOR by Tana French, THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS by Chris Bohjalian, WHERE WE BELONG by Emily Giffin, THE WORLD WITHOUT YOU by Joshua Henkin, and THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE by Courtney Miller Santo.
We’ve also posted this month’s Books on Screen feature. Feature films include Robert Redford’s The Company You Keep and The Reluctant Fundamentalist starring Kate Hudson, Kiefer Sutherland and Liev Schreiber. The Netflix original series “Hemlock Grove” releases on April 19th, while Silver Linings Playbook is out on DVD April 30th. Click here for the complete listings.
Our current Word of Mouth contest is up for one more week. Let us know what you’ve read by Friday, April 12th at noon ET, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of the aforementioned LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson and STARTING NOW by Debbie Macomber, along with DON’T GO by Lisa Scottoline, which we’ll be reviewing next week.
One important note about Word of Mouth: We realize that many times, your opinion of a book will change as you get further along into the story. Thus, to ensure that your comments and ratings accurately reflect your entire reading experience, we ask that you finish reading the book before you submit your comments about it.
Please keep in mind that next Thursday, April 11th at noon ET is the deadline for entries in our Khaled Hosseini contest. If you’ve read Hosseini’s THE KITE RUNNER and/or A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, we’d love for you to share your thoughts about them, which we then will post on the site. All you have to do is fill out this form before the deadline, and you will be entered to win one of 25 copies of Hosseini’s highly anticipated forthcoming novel, AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED, which releases on May 21st. I am reading it now --- and loving it.
Next week we will have our review of Jennie Shortridge’s LOVE WATER MEMORY, which I had the pleasure of reading over the Christmas holiday. Lucie Walker cannot remember who she is when she awakens in the cold bay off of San Francisco. Once back in Seattle, she begins to unravel the threads of her life to rediscover who she is. But she’s very different from the woman who her fiancé Grady had once known. What happens to both Lucie and Grady will force them to go back into their childhoods to unlock what’s really going on for them.
Sad news that Roger Ebert passed away this week. A few years ago, with the aid of his special text-to-speech software, he was able to present his book at BEA. For those of you who missed his memoir, we share this link.
Final Four coverage starts Saturday, and if you have been following our Slam Dunk feature, you know that it’s Louisville vs. Wichita State, which means FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN by Terry Bisson vs. PIZZA ON THE GRILL by Elizabeth Karmel and Bob Blumer; and Michigan vs. Syracuse, which means DEATH OF A SALESMAN by Arthur Miller vs. WE WERE THE MULVANEYS by Joyce Carol Oates. May the “best book” win!
I got a fun note from a reader named Terri last week who enjoyed reading my Crested Butte stories. She too discovered this magical town and agreed that it is “unlike any other ski town out west” that she has been to; in fact she bought a place there after her first visit. Her son and daughter “rip up the slopes way better” than she does, and she agreed that “The Secret Stash is always a must do for at least one dinner.” We are kindred spirits.
Sunday night this week will be a channel fight between HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and AMC’s “Mad Men.” I see DVRs whirring everywhere. I am craving warm weather, and I hear it may arrive Sunday or Monday. And with that note…read on….
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
|
|
|
|
Now in Stores: STARTING NOW by Debbie Macomber
|
STARTING NOW: A Blossom Street Novel by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Libby Morgan, who gave up everything for her legal career, has been laid off. With no prospects of a new job, she volunteers at a hospital, where she meets a handsome doctor who is a bit of a workaholic himself. At the yarn store on Blossom Street, Libby rediscovers the art of knitting. But just when everything is coming together, Libby is offered her old job back, forcing her to choose between what she thought she always wanted and what she knows matters most. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit Debbie Macomber’s official website.
|
|
Click here to read a review. |
|
Now in Stores: LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson
|
LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson (Historical Fiction)
On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born to an English banker and his wife but dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born and embarks upon a life that will be unusual. As she grows, she also dies --- repeatedly, in a variety of ways --- while the young century marches on towards its second cataclysmic world war. Does Ursula's apparently infinite number of lives give her the power to save the world from its inevitable destiny? Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
-Click here to read more about the book.
|
|
Click here to read a review. |
|
|
|
New Featured Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight and Contest: FLY AWAY by Kristin Hannah
|
 |
We have 50 copies of FLY AWAY by Kristin Hannah, which releases on April 23rd, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 18th at noon ET.
FLY AWAY by Kristin Hannah (Fiction)
Tully Hart has always been larger than life, a woman fueled by big dreams and driven by memories of a painful past. She thinks she can overcome anything until her best friend, Kate Ryan, dies. Tully tries to fulfill her deathbed promise to Kate --- to be there for Kate’s children --- but Tully knows nothing about family or motherhood or taking care of people.
Sixteen-year-old Marah Ryan is devastated by her mother’s death. Her father, Johnny, strives to hold the family together, but even with his best efforts, Marah becomes unreachable in her grief. Nothing and no one seems to matter to her...until she falls in love with a young man who makes her smile again and leads her into his dangerous, shadowy world.
Dorothy Hart --- the woman who once called herself Cloud --- is at the center of Tully’s tragic past. She repeatedly abandoned her daughter, Tully, as a child, but now she comes back, drawn to her daughter’s side at a time when Tully is most alone. At long last, Dorothy must face her darkest fear: Only by revealing the ugly secrets of her past can she hope to become the mother her daughter needs.
A single, tragic choice and a middle-of-the-night phone call will bring these women together and set them on a poignant, powerful journey of redemption. Each has lost her way, and they will need each one another --- and maybe a miracle --- to transform their lives.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Kristin Hannah’s bio.
-Click here to visit Kristin Hannah’s official website.
-Click here to connect with Kristin Hannah on Facebook.
|
|
Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
|
Special Contest: Win a Copy of A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS by Deanna Raybourn
|
 |
We are celebrating the April 30th release of A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS by Deanna Raybourn with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 18th at noon ET.
A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS by Deanna Raybourn (Historical Romance)
The daughter of a scandalous mother, Delilah Drummond is already notorious, even among Paris society. But her latest scandal is big enough to make even her oft-married mother blanch. Delilah is exiled to Kenya and her favorite stepfather's savanna manor house until gossip subsides.
Fairlight is the crumbling, sun-bleached skeleton of a faded African dream, a world where dissolute expats are bolstered by gin and jazz records, cigarettes and safaris. As mistress of this wasted estate, Delilah falls into the decadent pleasures of society.
Against the frivolity of her peers, Ryder White stands in sharp contrast. As foreign to Delilah as Africa, Ryder becomes her guide to the complex beauty of this unknown world. Giraffes, buffalo, lions and elephants roam the shores of Lake Wanyama amid swirls of red dust. Here, life is lush and teeming --- yet fleeting and often cheap.
-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 Deanna Raybourn’s bio.
-Visit Deanna Raybourn’s official website and blog.
-Connect with Deanna Raybourn on Facebook and Twitter.
|
|
Click here to enter the contest. |
|
|
|
Bookreporter.com Bets On: ORDINARY GRACE by William Kent Krueger and ORPHAN TRAIN by Christina Baker Kline
|
 |
ORPHAN TRAIN by Christina Baker Kline (Fiction)
Christina Baker Kline’s latest novel, ORPHAN TRAIN, introduces readers to Vivian Daly, a now-90-year-old woman who has had a chaotic past --- from her difficult childhood in Ireland to her turbulent adulthood Midwest. This story specifically documents the “orphan trains” that transported more than 200,000 orphaned, abandoned and homeless children to the Midwest for indentured servitude. Those of you who read THE CHAPERONE, another Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, will remember that its plot touched on the orphan trains. It left me wanting to hear more about it, which made this book even more of a delight. Christina did very extensive research, which authenticates her characters.
-Click here to read more of Carol’s thoughts about the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read the review.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to see advance readers’ comments.
ORDINARY GRACE by William Kent Krueger (Historical Fiction)
In ORDINARY GRACE, William Kent Krueger departs from his Cork O’Connor series with a stand-alone title, and it is a winner. Set in New Bremen, a small town in Minnesota in 1961 during what we know as “The Kennedy Years,” this coming-of-age story is beautifully told in a style that reminds me of some of my favorite Southern writers, which is interesting since Krueger is Midwestern through and through. The prose wraps around you, and suddenly you look up and wonder where you are as the writing has been so vivid and clear that your sense of place has been redefined.
-Click here to read more of Carol’s thoughts about the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to see advance readers’ comments.
|
|
Bookreporter.com Talks to Laura Lee Smith, Author of HEART OF PALM
|
 |
Laura Lee Smith has been called an “enchanter casting her spell with lyrical prose,” and her first novel perfectly exemplifies this praise. HEART OF PALM tells the story of the Bravo family living in Utina, Florida, right before the tide of development rocks the small town. When things start to change, the family has to face not only an uncertain future, but also a tragic past. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Alexis Burling, Smith discusses her brilliant use of dialect, her inspiration for the town of Utina, and how to handle rejection with perseverance. She also touches on point of view, survivor’s guilt and emotional attachment to objects, which are all important aspects of her debut.
HEART OF PALM by Laura Lee Smith (Fiction)
Utina, Florida is a small, down-at-heels southern town about to meet the tide of an economic growth that it hasn't seen in decades. The Bravos, a local family held together in equal measure by love, unspoken blame, and tenuously brokered truces, have been complacent with the stagnant ways of the sleepy town. So when opportunity knocks, tempers ignite, secrets are unearthed, and each of the Bravos is forced to confront the tragedies of their shared past. Reviewed by Alexis Burling.
-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 to read Laura Lee Smith’s bio.
-Click here to visit Laura Lee Smith’s official website.
-Connect with Laura Lee Smith on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to see the 25 readers who were selected to read and comment on the book.
-Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight.
|
|
Click here to read our interview. |
|
Now in Stores: RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA by Kimberly McCreight
|
RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA by Kimberly McCreight (Fiction)
Kate learns that her daughter, Amelia, has been suspended from school. Upon her arrival, she finds the school surrounded by police officers, fire trucks, and an ambulance. An academic overachiever despondent over getting caught cheating has jumped to her death. At least that’s the story Grace Hall tells Kate. And clouded as she is by her guilt and grief, it is the one she forces herself to believe. Until she gets an anonymous text: She didn’t jump. Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Kimberly McCreight’s blog post on Teenreads.com.
|
|
Click here to read a review. |
|
Now in Stores: WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY by Wendy Wax
|
WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY by Wendy Wax (Fiction)
When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings of “Downton Abbey,” four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama --- and, even more unexpectedly, with each other. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
|
|
Click here to read a review. |
|
|
|
Featured Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight: AND THEN I FOUND YOU by Patti Callahan Henry
|
AND THEN I FOUND YOU by Patti Callahan Henry (Fiction)
Katie Vaughan is no stranger to tough choices.
She’s made them before. Now it’s time to do it again.
Kate has a secret, something tucked away in her past. And she’s getting on with her life. Her business is thriving. She has a strong relationship with her family, and a devoted boyfriend whom she wants to love with all her heart. If Kate had ever made a list, Rowan would fill the imagined boxes of a perfect mate. She wants the facts to move from her head toward her heart and settle in with deep love, something past admiration and comfort. But when Kate discovers the small velvet box hidden in Rowan’s drawer, she panics.
It always happens this way. Just when Kate thinks she can love, just when she believes she can conquer the fear, she’s filled with dread. And she wants more than anything to make this feeling go away. But how?
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Patti Callahan Henry’s bio.
-Click here to visit Patti Callahan Henry’s official website.
-Connect with Patti Callahan Henry on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to see the 50 readers who were selected to read and comment on the book.
|
|
Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. |
|
Featured Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight: THE ASHFORD AFFAIR by Lauren Willig
|
THE ASHFORD AFFAIR by Lauren Willig (Historical Fiction)
As a lawyer in a large Manhattan firm, just shy of making partner, Clementine Evans has finally achieved almost everything she’s been working towards --- but now she’s not sure it’s enough. Her long hours have led to a broken engagement and, suddenly single at 34, she feels her messy life crumbling around her. But when the family gathers for her grandmother Addie’s 99th birthday, a relative lets slip hints about a long-buried family secret, leading Clemmie on a journey into the past that could change everything...
Growing up at Ashford Park in the early 20th century, Addie has never quite belonged. When her parents passed away, she was taken into the grand English house by her aristocratic aunt and uncle, and raised side-by-side with her beautiful and outgoing cousin, Bea. Though they are as different as night and day, Addie and Bea are closer than sisters, through relationships and challenges, and a war that changes the face of Europe irrevocably. But what happens when something finally comes along that can’t be shared? When the love of sisterhood is tested by a bond that’s even stronger?
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Lauren Willig’s bio.
-Click here to visit Lauren Willig’s official website.
-Click here to connect with Lauren Willig on Facebook.
-Click here to see the 25 readers who were selected to read and comment on the book.
|
|
Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. |
|
Featured Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight: PALISADES PARK by Alan Brennert
|
PALISADES PARK by Alan Brennert (Historical Fiction)
Growing up in the 1930s, there is no more magical place than Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey --- especially for seven-year-old Antoinette, who horrifies her mother by insisting on the unladylike nickname Toni, and her brother, Jack. Toni helps her parents, Eddie and Adele Stopka, at the stand where they sell homemade French fries amid the roar of the Cyclone roller coaster. There is also the lure of the world’s biggest salt-water pool, complete with divers whose astonishing stunts inspire Toni, despite her mother's insistence that girls can't be high divers.
But a family of dreamers doesn't always share the same dreams, and then the world intrudes: There's the Great Depression, and Pearl Harbor, which hits home in ways that will split the family apart; and perils like fire and race riots in the park. Both Eddie and Jack face the dangers of war, while Adele has ambitions of her own --- and Toni is determined to take on a very different kind of danger in impossible feats as a high diver. Yet they are all drawn back to each other --- and to Palisades Park --- until the park closes forever in 1971.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Alan Brennert’s bio.
-Click here to connect with Alan Brennert on Facebook.
-Click here to see the 25 readers who were selected to read and comment on the book.
|
|
Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. |
|
|
|
April’s New in Paperback Roundups
|
 |
April’s New in Paperback roundups include the following highlights:
BROKEN HARBOR by Tana French (Psychological Thriller)
Mick “Scorcher” Kennedy plays by the book and plays hard, which is what puts the biggest case of the year into his hands. On one of the half-built, half-abandoned “luxury” developments that litter Ireland, Patrick Spain and his two young children are dead. But Broken Harbor holds memories for Scorcher, and working this case could resurrect something he thought he had tightly under control.
THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS by Chris Bohjalian (Historical Fiction)
THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, Chris Bohjalian's 15th book, is a spellbinding tale that travels between Aleppo, Syria, in 1915 and Bronxville, New York, in 2012 --- a sweeping historical love story steeped in the author’s Armenian heritage, a subject his legions of fans have been asking him to write about for years.
LOVE ANTHONY by Lisa Genova (Fiction)
From the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of STILL ALICE and LEFT NEGLECTED comes a heartfelt novel about an accidental friendship that gives a grieving mother a priceless gift: the ability to understand the thoughts of her eight-year-old autistic son and make sense of his brief life.
THE WORLD WITHOUT YOU by Joshua Henkin (Fiction)
On July 4, 2005, the Frankel family descends upon their summer home in the Berkshires for a memorial to Leo, the youngest Frankel sibling, who was killed while on assignment in Iraq a year before. Over the course of three days, the Frankels will contend with sibling rivalries and marital feuds, volatile women and silent men, and, ultimately, the true meaning of family.
BLOOM: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected: A Memoir by Kelle Hampton (Memoir)
When Kelle Hampton learned she was pregnant with her second child, she and her husband were ecstatic. But the moment her new daughter was placed in her arms in the delivery room, Kelle knew that something was wrong. She was certain that Nella had Down syndrome --- a fear her pediatrician soon confirmed.
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.
-Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of April 1st, April 8th, April 15th, April 22nd and April 29th.
|
|
|
|
This Week’s Reviews
|
THE FEVER TREE by Jennifer McVeigh (Historical Fiction)
Frances Irvine, left destitute in the wake of her father’s sudden death, has been forced to abandon her life of wealth and privilege in London and emigrate to the Southern Cape of Africa. 1880 South Africa is a country torn apart by greed. In this remote and inhospitable land, she becomes entangled with two very different men --- one driven by ambition, the other by his ideals. Reviewed by Jennifer Romanello.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
RIVER OF STARS by Guy Gavriel Kay (Historical Fantasy)
In UNDER HEAVEN, Guy Gavriel Kay told a vivid and powerful story inspired by China’s Tang Dynasty. Now, the international bestselling author revisits that invented setting four centuries later with an epic of prideful emperors, battling courtiers, bandits and soldiers, nomadic invasions, and a woman battling in her own way to find a new place for women in the world --- a world inspired this time by the glittering, decadent Song Dynasty. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
NO WAY BACK by Andrew Gross (Thriller)
A chance meeting with a stranger in a hotel ends in a shocking murder. Wendy Gould is an average mom --- and the only witness. Nanny Lauritzia Velez knows a shocking secret that could prove to be deadly. With both of their lives in danger, this unlikely pair must work together against a network of dangerous men who want nothing more than to see them dead. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
DEATH OF YESTERDAY: A Hamish Macbeth Mystery by M.C. Beaton (Mystery)
When a local woman tells Sergeant Hamish Macbeth that she doesn't remember what happened the previous evening, he doesn't begin to worry. She had been out drinking, after all, and he'd prefer not to be bothered with such an arrogant and annoying woman. But when her body is discovered, Hamish is forced to investigate a crime that the only known witness --- now dead --- had forgotten. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
RITA MORENO: A Memoir by Rita Moreno (Memoir)
In this luminous memoir, Rita Moreno shares her remarkable journey from a young girl with simple beginnings in Puerto Ricoto Hollywood legend --- and one of the few performers, and the only Hispanic, to win an Oscar, Grammy, Tony and two Emmys. Here, for the first time, Rita reflects on her struggles to break through Hollywood’s racial and sexual barriers. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
JACOB'S FOLLY by Rebecca Miller (Historical Fiction)
In 18th-century Paris, Jacob Cerf is a Jew, a peddler of knives, saltcellars and snuffboxes. Despite a disastrous teenage marriage, he is determined to raise himself up in life. More than 200 years later, Jacob is amazed to find himself reincarnated as a fly in the Long Island suburbs of 21st-century America. Thanks to his arrival, the lives of a reliable volunteer fireman and a young Orthodox Jewish woman nursing a secret ambition will never be the same. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
THERE WAS AN OLD WOMAN by Hallie Ephron (Psychological Suspense)
When Evie Ferrante learns that her mother has been hospitalized, she finds her mother's house in chaos. Sorting through her mother's belongings, Evie discovers objects that don't quite belong there, and begins to raise questions. Evie renews a friendship with Mina, an elderly neighbor who might know more about her mother's recent activities. As Evie investigates her mother's actions, a darker story of deception and madness involving Mina emerges. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
501 BASEBALL BOOKS FANS MUST READ BEFORE THEY DIE by Ron Kaplan (Sports)
Baseball literature is formidable --- vast and varied, instructive, often wildly entertaining, and occasionally brilliant. From this bewildering array of baseball books, Ron Kaplan has chosen 501 of the best, making it easier for fans to find just the books to suit them (or to know what they’re missing). From biography, history, fiction and instruction to books about ballparks, business and rules, anyone who loves to read about baseball will find in this book a companionable guide. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
FROZEN SOLID by James M. Tabor (Thriller/Adventure)
Called to the South Pole to continue time-sensitive research, microbiologist Hallie Leland spends four days traversing the planet to get to the Pole. Once there, she faces not only the dangerous physical elements of the location but also finds herself in the middle of a devastating plot to change the world. When she starts asking questions, her situation becomes even more uncertain. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.
SUMMERSET ABBEY: A BLOOM IN WINTER by T. J. Brown (Historical Romance)
After Prudence’s desperate marriage and move to Devonshire, sisters Rowena and Victoria fear they have lost their beloved friend forever. Guilt-ridden and remorseful, Rowena seeks comfort from a daring flyboy and embraces the most dangerous activity the world has ever seen. Victoria, meanwhile, defies her family and her illness to make her own dream occupation as a botanist come true. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.
WEB OF THE CITY by Harlan Ellison (Hard-boiled Mystery)
In Rusty Santoro’s neighborhood, the kids carry knives, chains, bricks and broken glass. And when they fight, they fight dirty, leaving the streets littered with the bodies of the injured and the dead. Rusty wants out --- but you can’t just walk away from a New York street gang. And his decision may leave his family to pay a terrible price. WEB OF THE CITY is acclaimed author Harlan Ellison's first novel, now back in print after three decades. Reviewed by Tom Callahan.
|
|
|
|
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
Let us know what your group is reading in April, and you will be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! Our latest prize book is ORPHAN TRAIN by Christina Baker Kline, a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are. We have 12 copies of the book, which is now in stores, to give away to three groups. The deadline for entries is Monday, May 6th at noon ET.
Teenreads.com
Spring Fling 2013
We are celebrating the weather warming up and the flowers beginning to bloom with our first-ever Spring Fling Contest! Between now and Tuesday, April 30th, teens can enter to win a prize package that includes all of our featured titles along with some necessary springtime essentials.
FaithfulReader.com
FaithfulReader.com’s Monthly Contest
In our latest monthly contest, 30 readers will receive a copy of LOVE IN THE BALANCE, a second historical romance from Regina Jennings following her debut novel, SIXTY ACRES AND A BRIDE. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, April 9th at noon ET.
|
|
As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.
|
|
|
