April 12, 2013

I got word last week that my favorite local yarn shop is closing. While business there is brisk, the owner has decided to pack it in as she has had some changes in her personal life. I read the email about this, and my heart sank. I liked the idea of having a place 10 minutes away where I could drop on by for advice, as much as for yarn and needles. I loathe finishing pieces and thus would bundle the pieces I knit together and hand them over to Keri there, who was great at taking my "homemade" items and making them look "handmade"; there is a difference. Between now and the final day the store is open, there will be lots of sales. But I will not be stopping by to pick up the bargains; rather, I’ll try to savor the spirit of the place.

I like places and things with personality, attitude and points of view. When catalogs arrive at the house, the ones I savor are Sundance, Patagonia, Crow's Nest and Frontgate. Most others head right to the recycle bin, especially the ones that just replace the cover but have the same merchandise inside catalog after catalog. I like the clever, the unique, the whimsical, and the items where the page gets folded down because what I saw is just inspiring. I am passionate about items from the Southwest and thus I try to hide my credit card when I peruse the catalogs where I know I will be tempted!

I guess it’s not a wonder that indie bookstores strike a chord with me as they have this same spirit about them. When we were in Crested Butte two weeks ago, we stopped by Towne Books where I had a lovely chat with Diane. We had a spirited discussion where we each picked up books that we had read and book-talked them to each other. It was lots of fun as in most instances we were talking about books that the other had not read. I was pointing out my Bets On selections while she was noting her Staff Picks. In the photo above, you can see Diane photographed against their Staff Picks. I collect memories of bookstores that I have visited and run them like tape when someone notes a store that they have visited that I too have been to.

I came across this BBC slideshow of America’s Best Indie Bookstores and am happy to share that I have been to four of the five. Clearly when I was in Sun Valley, Idaho years ago, I did not make a prerequisite stop at the Chapter One Bookstore in Ketchum. Now there is a reason to return!

As our readers know, World Book Night is April 23rd. If you are going to be a book giver, please write us at Info@bookreporter.com to let us know what book you are giving away. We’d love to get photos of you sharing your books and hear about your experience. I am going to be giving away STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova, which was an early Bets On pick. I am picking up my books at the Bookworm bookshop next week! In honor of this special day, we're giving five readers the chance to receive five free World Book Night editions to share with others: FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury, BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey, PLAYING FOR PIZZA by John Grisham, DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS by Walter Mosley, and MONEYBALL by Michael Lewis. Enter here by Thursday, April 18th at noon ET.

Last week, Vogue Knitting LIVE! took place in Seattle, and it looked like it was a great event. One of their shots on Facebook over the weekend included a photo of knitting with glass. I tracked down this blog about the artist. I covet that blue bowl by the way, but I am sure you would assume that!

Three Women’s Fiction Author Spotlights enter their final weeks, and they all culminate in a review and interview for each book. First up is AND THEN I FOUND YOU by Patti Callahan Henry, which was inspired by real-life events in Patti’s own family history. Katie knows she must confront the demons from her past in order to fully love her devoted boyfriend, Rowan. Reviewer Bronwyn Miller says, “Henry’s warm, inviting writing appeals to readers of Dorothea Benton Frank, Joshilyn Jackson and Mary Alice Monroe, and, like her earlier novels, will be a great source of intriguing discussion for any book club.” Read more about the backstory of the novel in Bronwyn’s interview with Patti. This truly is Patti’s best book; it’s seared with emotion, and her storytelling is at its best. I’ll tell you why it’s a Bets On selection next week.

Next up is THE ASHFORD AFFAIR by Lauren Willig, in which a successful lawyer learns about a long-buried family secret that leads her on a journey into the past that could change everything. Bronwyn also reviewed this one and says, “Lauren Willig…has aimed her latest novel to the 'Downton Abbey' wheelhouse and hits the bullseye. She keeps readers enthralled with the dual storylines, shifting settings and time periods.” In her interview, Lauren talks about her inspiration for writing this novel, which is a stand-alone departure from her popular Pink Carnation series. This also will be a Bets On selection next week.

Our final review/interview combo is PALISADES PARK by Alan Brennert, which introduces readers to a family of dreamers and their lives within the legendary Palisades Amusement Park. Amy Gwiazdowski has our review and says, “PALISADES PARK is what I think of as a soft-spoken book. There’s not always a great deal of happiness in the lives of the characters, and we are reminded that bad things do happen to even the best of people, but somewhere in all the mess that is life, there is a wonderful story.” Learn why Alan wanted to bring Palisades Amusement Park to life for readers in Amy’s interview with him. Again, I’ll be making this a Bets On selection next week.

We have a brand-new contest to tell you about this week. In anticipation of the May 28th release of I’LL BE SEEING YOU by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan, we’re giving 25 readers a chance to win an advance copy of the book and comment on it, along with a small travel-tissue pack featuring a note from the editor. It is January 1943, and Glory Whitehall and Rita Vincenzo have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home. Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence as their letters allows them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front. Those who read THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY will appreciate the epistolary format of this book. I had a chance to dip into it last weekend; it was not only good reading, but it also reminded me why I love old-fashioned letter writing. However, I type every note as my handwriting is illegible. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 25th at noon ET.

By the way, the authors wrote I'LL BE SEEING YOU long-distance and, believe it or not, have NEVER met in person!

The newest title in our Paperback Spotlight feature is WHEN SHE CAME HOME by Drusilla Campbell, whose 2012 novel, LITTLE GIRL GONE, was also featured in a Paperback Spotlight. After bravely serving her country in Iraq, Frankie finally comes home. Home to a husband whose lingering feelings of abandonment make her wonder if their lives can ever be the same. Home to a daughter whose painful encounters with bullies can only be healed by a mother's love. And home to a father who still can't accept his daughter's decision to serve. But the most difficult part about coming home lies within Frankie herself. To save everything she holds dear, she must face the toughest battle of her life. Barbara Bamberger Scott has our review and says, “Campbell has taken a ‘coming home’ story that could have been trite or formulaic and made it poignant and deeply human.” I really want to read this one.

Out this week is DON’T GO, a bit of a departure for Lisa Scottoline, whose mysteries and thrillers we feature quite frequently on the site. When Dr. Mike Scanlon is called to serve as an army doctor in Afghanistan, he’s acutely aware of the dangers he’ll face and the hardships it will cause his wife Chloe and newborn baby. However, in an ironic turn of events, Chloe dies in an apparent household accident. A devastated Mike returns home to bury his wife, only to learn a shocking secret that sends him into a downward spiral. This is the first book that Lisa has written with a male protagonist and in a male voice. It still has her signature talent of ramping up the tension. I am halfway through and being surprised again and again. We will have our review next week, and I look forward to seeing what Norah Piehl has to say about it.

This week, we have a review of Meg Wolitzer’s new novel, THE INTERESTINGS, which has been talked about a lot leading up to its release. The summer that Richard Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed. Wolitzer follows these characters from the height of youth through middle age, as their talents, fortunes and degrees of satisfaction diverge. In her review, Alexis Burling warns, “This could be a biased review. More likely, it’s a case of Meg Wolitzer’s ninth novel, THE INTERESTINGS, hitting its mark…. In truth, Wolitzer’s sweeping, endlessly absorbing tome is about how we grow old and make peace with our lot in life.” I love books that trace characters’ lives like this. It’s on my shelf, and reading Alexis’s review I am kicking myself that I did not get to it sooner.

We also review Mary Higgins Clark’s latest, DADDY’S GONE A HUNTING. Kate and Hannah Connelly are sisters whose family-owned furniture firm, founded by their grandfather and famous for its fine reproductions of antiques, explodes into flames in the middle of the night. All the buildings are leveled to the ground, including the museum where priceless antiques have been on permanent display for years. The ashes reveal a startling and grisly discovery, and provoke a host of suspicions and questions. Reviewer Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum says, “Mary Higgins Clark has penned yet another mystery that will keep her at the top of the suspense writers list for a very long time.

Our giveaway continues for FLY AWAY, which is currently being featured in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. This long-awaited follow-up to Kristin Hannah’s FIREFLY LANE (which I absolutely devoured!) is the story of three women who have lost their way and need each other --- plus a miracle --- to transform their lives. We have 50 copies 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.

Our contest for Deanna Raybourn’s upcoming novel, A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS, continues for one more week. 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. The book releases on April 30th, but we’re awarding 25 readers a copy now; all you have to do is fill out this form by Thursday, April 18th at noon ET.

Last week, we featured our review of HEART OF PALM and an interview with the author, Laura Lee Smith. This week, I’m announcing it as my latest Bets On pick. The book 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. Click here to find out why I think so highly of this debut effort.

We have a new Word of Mouth contest up and running. Let us know the books that you’ve read by Friday, April 26th at noon ET, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of THE HIT by David Baldacci, I’LL SEE YOU AGAIN: A Memoir by Jackie Hance with Janice Kaplan, and MAYA’S NOTEBOOK by Isabel Allende.

Each year we share news from BookExpo America, the industry trade show, which this year is scheduled for late May. I am VERY pleased to share that on Saturday, June 1st, the show, which is taking place at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, is going to be open to the public for Power Reader Day. Power Readers will meet authors and hear about upcoming books for a very reasonable $49 admission fee! You can see complete details on how you can participate here.

We'd love to meet you if you attend this event. My staff and I will be there as our sister site ReadingGroupGuides.com will be offering a “speed-dating” session for book groups (where publishers will move from table to table to share their suggestions to Power Readers for upcoming book group titles) from 11:00am to 11:45am. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions also will be part of this program. Fill out the form found on this page to sign up for the Saturday session. One important note: You must be registered to attend BookExpo America as a “Power Reader” on Saturday, June 1st in order to attend this session. If you are not, click here to register. Oh, and also we plan to be in the Readers Lounge during that day so we can meet our readers. Timing for that is to come!

During the regular trade show on Friday, May 31st, from 9:30am to 10:50am, another version of this “speed dating” program will be presented to book group leaders, booksellers, librarians and bloggers. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions also will be part of this event. Advance signup is required and seating will be assigned. Fill out the form found on this page to sign up. Please note: You must be registered to attend BookExpo America in order to attend this session. If you are not, click here to register.

I’d like to point out that National Library Week takes place April 14-20; this year’s theme is “Communities matter @ your library.” Click here to read more about it and find out how you can celebrate in your area.

Last week, the International Thriller Writers announced the finalists for the 2013 Thriller Awards. Click here for all the nominees. The winners will be announced at ThrillerFest VIII on July 13th at the Grand Hyatt in New York City.

Louisville’s championship basketball win on Monday means that FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN by Terry Bisson won our Slam Dunk: Reading Through the Madness bracket. We had great fun with this feature and already are scheming about what else we can do along these lines. Thanks to all of you who wrote to share how much you enjoyed it!

On a somber note, author Masha Hamilton’s Facebook page had a note that Diplomat Anne Smedinghoff who was killed last weekend was on a mission to distribute books to a school when she was attacked. Masha, who is involved with the Afghan Women’s Writing Project, knew Anne and shared a tribute piece written by someone who was with Anne when she was hurt. Here are a few lines from it: “I carried around Anne’s purse all afternoon Saturday as I rotated between the trauma room and the ICU at KAF. It was punctured by shrapnel, and loaded with books that Anne intended to deliver to classrooms in Qalat. And I found it oddly comforting, in a way that nothing else was then. It was as if I could expect Anne to return at any moment and reclaim the bag carrying the books and her iPhone and... a little pink purse and some scented lotion.” My eyes were very blurred as I read it. So very sad.

Quiet weekend, literally, on tap around here with lots of whispering from the television as it is “Masters Weekend.” I was informed of this last night in hushed tones. I figure I will make up some pimento cheese sandwiches on white bread to celebrate. I bought Tom some great headphones for Christmas, which I think will be excellent accessories for him for the weekend. I then can read and not be distracted by the whispers of the golf commentators that lull me into a nap. Maybe in between we can clean out the garage or do some other domestic task for true fun.

Greg is off to Norway. He flew to Oslo with his friend Ted last night, and they are going to be sailing up the coast of Norway on a ship in the Hurtigruten fleet that will make its way through the fjords. He was practicing Norwegian before he left, but as he has no ear for languages, I suggested he stick with English lest he ends up arrested for some faux Norwegian phrase. On his way back, he’ll stop in Iceland, just to see it and because they offer cheap airfares. Love his spirit!

Taxes are due on Monday, the annual day of dread. Cheer yourself up with a book after you sign by the little arrows! Read on.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

Patti Callahan Henry’s latest novel, AND THEN I FOUND YOU, is inspired by true events and tells the story of Katie Vaughan, a woman whose life is full of tough choices and who has dark secrets. Katie needs to confront those from her past and make peace with a secret that has been haunting her in order to live and love to her fullest. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Bronwyn Miller, Henry shares her personal ties to this story, the theme of making peace with the past, and the experience of writing a novel so based in truth. She also discusses her writing regimen, another upcoming book tour, and the challenge of being a full-time wife, mother and author --- three elements that have greatly impacted her career.

AND THEN I FOUND YOU by Patti Callahan Henry (Fiction)
Katie Vaughan has a secret, something tucked away in her past. She has a strong relationship with her family, and a devoted boyfriend, Rowan, whom she wants to love with all her heart. But when she discovers a small velvet box hidden in Rowan's drawer, she panics. For the first time in her life, Katie knows that she won't fully love Rowan until she confronts the demons from her past, and it's time for her to act. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.

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

THE INTERESTINGS by Meg Wolitzer (Fiction)
The summer that Richard Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed. In THE INTERESTINGS, Meg Wolitzer follows these characters from the height of youth through middle age, as their talents, fortunes and degrees of satisfaction diverge. Reviewed by Alexis Burling.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

Lauren Willig, the author of the long-running Pink Carnation series, has written a new page-turner. THE ASHFORD AFFAIR is the story of two women --- Clementine Evans, a Manhattan lawyer, and her grandmother Addie --- who are united through history by a long-buried family secret. When a relative accidentally hints at the secret during Addie’s 99th birthday party, Clemmie will be led on a journey of discovery over three continents. In this interview, conducted by Bookreporter.com’s Bronwyn Miller, Willig discusses the inspiration for writing a book that spans different eras, the reversal of the gender paradigm, and how she immerses herself in research --- all of which play important roles in this stand-alone novel.

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 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. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.

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

We are celebrating the May 28th release of I'LL BE SEEING YOU by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win an advance copy of the book, along with a small travel-tissue pack featuring a note from the editor. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 25th at noon ET.

I'LL BE SEEING YOU by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan (Historical Fiction)
It's January 1943 when Rita Vincenzo receives her first letter from Glory Whitehall. Glory is an effervescent young mother, impulsive and free as a bird. Rita is a sensible professor's wife with a love of gardening and a generous, old soul. Glory comes from New England society; Rita lives in Iowa, trying to make ends meet. They have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home. Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Read bios of Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan.
-Click here to visit the authors’ official website.
-Connect with the authors on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to visit the authors’ Pinterest page.
-Discover THIS HEART OF MINE, the prequel eBook novella to I'LL BE SEEING YOU.

WHEN SHE CAME HOME by Drusilla Campbell (Fiction)
Frankie Byrne Tennyson stunned everyone when she decided to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. Now --- after bravely serving her country in Iraq --- she's finally come home. Home to a husband whose lingering feelings of abandonment make her wonder if their lives can ever be the same. Home to a daughter whose painful encounters with bullies can only be healed by a mother's love. And home to a father who still can't accept his daughter's decision to serve in spite of his own stellar career as a brigadier general. But the most difficult part about coming home lies within Frankie herself. To save everything she holds dear, she must face the toughest battle of her life...

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Drusilla Campbell’s bio.

PALISADES PARK, the highly anticipated new novel from bestselling author Alan Brennert, is a fictional account of the Stopka family in the very real world of the 1930s Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey. This family of dreamers lives through some of the most defining moments of United States history --- the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, World War II --- to realize that the American dream is what you make of it, all the while being drawn back together and to Palisades Park. Brennert spoke with Bookreporter.com’s Amy Gwiazdowski about researching the renowned amusement park and his personal ties to it, the challenges of being a modern writer penning historical fiction, how his experience in media has impacted his writing, and the ever-catchy “Palisades Park” jingle.

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 (nicknamed “Toni”) and her brother, Jack. However, both their father and Jack face the dangers of war, while their mother 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. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.

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

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

DON'T GO by Lisa Scottoline (Fiction)
When Dr. Mike Scanlon is called to serve as an army doctor in Afghanistan, he’s acutely aware of the dangers he’ll face and the hardships it will cause his wife Chloe and newborn baby. However, in an ironic turn of events, Chloe dies in an apparent household accident. A devastated Mike returns home to bury his wife, only to learn a shocking secret that sends him into a downward spiral.

We will feature our review in next week's newsletter.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
 

HEART OF PALM by Laura Lee Smith (Fiction)
I love reading big family dramas, probably because my own family is small and has so little drama. In HEART OF PALM, a debut novel from Laura Lee Smith, we have plenty of big family drama. Here we meet the Bravos, who live in Utina, Florida, a small southern town on “the other side of prosperity.” It was once known for its Palm Sunday palms, but we know how that market has faded away. The town is faded too, and the people there are going through the motions. But the town is primed for the big time with a land deal that could completely change things --- but it all hinges on the Bravos’ next move. Will they sell to allow the big-time marina to come to town, bringing in out-of-town big money?

-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 our interview.
-Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight.

SLEIGHT OF HAND by Phillip Margolin (Thriller)
Charles Benedict --- criminal defense lawyer, amateur magician and professional hit man --- leads a seemingly charmed life, winning all of his important cases, and prosecutor Carrie Blair thinks she knows why. But before she has a chance to prove that he’s stacking the cards, she disappears. And all the evidence points to her ultra-rich husband. Open and shut? Hardly. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

ALL YOU COULD ASK FOR by Mike Greenberg (Fiction)
Brooke has been happily married to her college sweetheart for 15 years. For her husband’s 40th birthday, she is giving him naked pictures of herself. Newlywed Samantha learns of her husband’s cheating heart when she finds the goods on his computer. High-powered career woman Katherine works with heartbreaker Phillip, the man who hurt her early on in her career. Brooke, Samantha and Katherine don’t know each other, but their stories are about to intertwine in ways no one could have imagined. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

LIFE CODE: The New Rules for Winning in the Real World by Dr. Phil McGraw (Self-Help)
In his latest self-help book, based on a lifetime of personal and professional experience, Dr. Phil McGraw hits home the message that we are living in a different world from the one in which we grew up; offers positive, inspiring ways to protect ourselves from less-than-scrupulous individuals; and tells us how to identify and achieve the secret dreams we all possess. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

LOVE WATER MEMORY by Jennie Shortridge (Fiction)
A woman suddenly becomes aware, and is shocked to find herself wading through the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay. However, she has no clue who she is or why she is here. When she returns to her life as Lucie Walker, she must piece together not only the mystery of her amnesia, but also decide who she chooses to be now. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

CANDLEMOTH by R.J. Ellory (Thriller)
Accused of killing his best friend Nathan, Daniel Ford has exhausted all appeals and now faces the electric chair in 30 days. Father John Rousseau is the man to whom the last month of Daniel's life has been entrusted. With time running out, Ford begins to tell his story --- beginning with his first meeting with Nathan, through first loves, Vietnam, the death of JFK, and finally their flight from the draft that ended in Nathan's brutal murder. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.

HOW TO GET FILTHY RICH IN RISING ASIA by Mohsin Hamid (Fiction)
Mohsin Hamid’s third novel follows its nameless hero to the sprawling metropolis where he begins to amass an empire built on that most fluid, and increasingly scarce, of goods: water. Yet his heart remains set on something else, on the pretty girl whose star rises along with his, their paths crossing and recrossing, a lifelong affair sparked and snuffed and sparked again by the forces that careen their fates along. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

TEMPLE OF A THOUSAND FACES by John Shors
When his land is taken by force, Prince Jayavar of the Khmer people narrowly escapes death at the hands of the conquering Cham king, Indravarman. Exiled from their homeland, he and his mystical wife Ajadevi set up a secret camp in the jungle with the intention of amassing an army bold enough to reclaim their kingdom and free their people. Meanwhile, Indravarman pits even his most trusted men against each other and quashes any hint of rebellion. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.

THE GOOD COP by Brad Parks (Mystery)
Reporter Carter Ross heads off to interview the widow of a cop who allegedly committed suicide. But Carter can’t understand why a man with a job he loved, a beautiful wife and adorable children would suddenly kill himself. And when his widow makes a public statement to the same effect and Carter’s calls to the police and the morgue are repeatedly blocked, it's clear someone knows more than he's saying about the cop's death. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

THE DAYLIGHT WAR: Book Three of The Demon Cycle by Peter V. Brett (Fantasy/Adventure)
With THE WARDED MAN and THE DESERT SPEAR, Peter V. Brett surged to the front rank of contemporary fantasy, standing alongside giants in the field such as George R. R. Martin, Robert Jordan and Terry Brooks. THE DAYLIGHT WAR, the eagerly anticipated third volume in Brett’s internationally bestselling Demon Cycle, continues the epic tale of humanity’s last stand against an army of demons that rise each night to prey on mankind. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.

THE RAGE by Gene Kerrigan (Police Procedural)
Vincent Naylor, just released from jail, resumes plans for an armored car robbery. Policeman Bob Tidey, discouraged by his colleagues making deals with criminals and about to commit perjury, is investigating the murder of a crooked banker. A call from an old acquaintance will change his course of investigation. Maura Coady, a retired nun living on regrets and bad memories, sees something that she can't ignore and decides to tell someone. She makes a phone call that sets in motion a violent fate. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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

THE GUARDIAN: Home to Hickory Hollow, Book 3 by Beverly Lewis
We are celebrating the release of THE GUARDIAN with a special contest that will give 50 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this third installment in Beverly Lewis's Home to Hickory Hollow series. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 14th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com’s Monthly Contest
In our latest monthly contest, one reader will received a signed copy of TAYLOR'S GIFT: A Courageous Story of Giving Life and Renewing Hope. Todd and Tara Storch tragically lost their 13-year-old daughter in a skiing accident; their decision to donate Taylor's organs would help save the lives of five desperate people who were anxiously awaiting a miracle. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, May 14th at noon ET.

Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from April 12th to April 26th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE HIT by David Baldacci, I’LL SEE YOU AGAIN: A Memoir by Jackie Hance with Janice Kaplan, and MAYA’S NOTEBOOK by Isabel Allende.

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.

Please note: You must enter your full address, using correct capitalization and filling in all fields if you would like to be eligible to win a prize.

One more important note: 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.