May 17, 2013

I survived the entire winter without a cold or the flu, but this busy week I have a scratchy throat and a horrific cough. Last night, when I finally had time to focus on being sick, I called the doctor for some advice since I cannot remember the last time I had a cold. The best benefit of having a concierge doctor is that I can call him when I have time to focus, which usually is at night --- though when I call his cell, I feel like I am on an episode of “Royal Pains.” I reminded him of a great med that I took years ago that kept my nose from dripping into my throat. He said it was taken off the market as it caused strokes in women! Whoa, that’s a side effect! Onward to the Z-Pack and Mucinex DM.

On Monday night, I attended the Children’s Choice Book Awards Gala with Liz Kossnar, our Content Coordinator for Teenreads.com and Kidsreads.com. After tallying an astounding 1,138,675 votes from kids all over the country, the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader (I am on the Board of the latter) announced the winners. Author of the Year was Jeff Kinney of Diary of a Wimpy Kid fame and Illustrator of the Year was Robin Preiss Glasser, who illustrates the Fancy Nancy series. Henry Winkler, the actor and author, was on hand as a presenter, and there were great references to “The Fonz.” THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green was the YA Book of the Year, though John was not there to accept; he and his wife are expecting a baby momentarily. For a list of all the winners, click here. The entire evening was a celebration of children’s publishing. Above is a photo of Liz and me with Jon Scieszka and his wife, Jerilyn Hansen, which was taken by Shelf-Awareness’ Children’s Editor, Jenny Brown. I confess that we were not talking books when this was taken. Rather, Jeri was telling me about Jon’s passion for golf and hers for knitting, making me think we live in parallel worlds.

The biggest news in the publishing world this week was the much-anticipated release of INFERNO, the fourth book in Dan Brown’s blockbuster series starring renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon. My son Greg and I were at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center on Wednesday evening when Matt Lauer took to the stage to introduce Dan to an audience of more than 2,000. Matt interviewed Dan at his home in New Hampshire, and we have a link to that for you here, which gives you a look into the author’s abode with its secret passages as well as a chance to see what he does when he stops writing each day.

Dan’s talk gave background into why he explores religion and science in his works. His parents, whose license plates were KYRIE (his mom’s; she was the church organist) and METRIC (his dad’s; he is a mathematician and a former teacher at Phillips Exeter Academy), were strong influencers on him with both religion and the practicalities of math. He found himself questioning things as he grew older, and the more he looked at science, “the mushier” the world became. He works through what he does not understand in his storytelling. He’s a relentless researcher and acknowledged his wife Blythe as his partner in research. The book was published on 5-14-13, which reads backwards as 3.1415, the value of pi, which factors into the story. (Talk about pressure to make a publication date!) Also, he shared that in the last 85 years, our population has tripled, and we add 200,000 new people every day, which also factors into the storyline! (My thought: if they all read, that’s great for publishing!)

As we left the theater, each attendee was given a book, which was a nice treat. I wish we had a good picture of the 2,000 books lined up! By the way, Greg noted that Dante Park, named for Dante Alighieri, is located at 63rd and Broadway, very close to Lincoln Center where the event was held. I wonder if anyone else noted that!

Now about the book… Readers last saw Langdon four years ago in THE LOST SYMBOL, and in this latest thriller, he is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces: Dante’s Inferno. Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Reviewer Ray Palen has endless praise for the book (we thank him for reading it in just two days so we could have our review for you): “Quite simply, Dan Brown has done for historical fiction what Stephen King once did for the horror genre…. INFERNO finishes with a flurry of action and delves into scientific research that rivals the work of the late Michael Crichton. Brown has deftly crafted a novel that will hit home with every reader; the threat is not merely some clandestine religious sects or ancient puzzles, but a global event that threatens everyone.”

I feel like this is old home week as we are sharing books by many authors who we have gotten to know through the years. Their books grace my shelves, and their talent has kept me awake reading many a night!

First up, Mary Kay Andrews makes her FOURTH appearance in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. The author of such bestsellers as THE FIXER UPPER, SUMMER RENTAL and SPRING FEVER is back with her novel, LADIES’ NIGHT, which will be in stores on June 4th. Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating and torpedoes his pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool. Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there? The book’s official publication date is weeks away, but we have 25 advance copies 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, May 30th at noon ET.

MKA, as we affectionately refer to Mary Kay Andrews, is one of my favorite people to follow on Facebook. She is funny and loves turquoise as much as I do. Her books inspire me to decorate, and her eye for decorative detail both in her writing and in real life makes me want to hand her a list of everything I want for the house and say, “Shop for me!”

Last week, I wrote about IS THIS TOMORROW, which is an Indie Next pick for May. This week, as promised, we’re featuring our review. In this latest novel from Caroline Leavitt, Ava Lark rents a house with her 12-year-old son, Lewis, in a desirable Boston suburb. Lewis misses his absent father, befriending the only other fatherless kids: Jimmy and Rose. One afternoon, Jimmy goes missing. Years later, when Lewis and Rose reunite to untangle the final pieces of the tragic puzzle, they must decide: Should you tell the truth even if it hurts those you love, or should some secrets remain buried? Reviewer Roz Shea says, “IS THIS TOMORROW is a tender, deeply moving story of a mother’s love and her struggle to make a normal life for her troubled son. Caroline Leavitt creates living, breathing characters on the printed page.” I finished it last Sunday and agree with Roz!

Out this week is THE CONDITIONS OF LOVE by Dale M. Kushner, which we included in our Spring Preview feature earlier this year. This debut novel traces love in the life of young Eunice. In the first part, Eunice must reckon with familial love --- from an eccentric mother and an absent father. The second leg of Eunice’s journey introduces her to the steadiness of a nurturing love through her relationship with a mysterious stranger named Rose. Finally, in the third act, Eunice is initiated into the world of passionate love. In his review, our staffer Josh Mallory calls the book “an engaging story written in a lyrical style. It’s a stunningly self-assured novel for a debut, and it leaves the reader hoping Kushner will write a second.”

The other morning, as I was driving to New York, my mom was talking about DINNER WITH THE SMILEYS (and yes, I was wearing a headset when we talked), and she made me want to read it. Thus I am glad that our Editorial Director, Tom Donadio, had it as part of the lineup this week. Here’s some background on it. The week before Thanksgiving 2011, Dustin Smiley left for a year-long military deployment. Soon after, his 11-year-old son invited Senator Susan Collins to fill his dad's chair at dinner. On January 3, 2012, Senator Collins came to dinner...and brought brownies. So began DINNER WITH THE SMILEYS, nationally syndicated columnist Sarah Smiley's 52-week commitment to fill her husband's place at the family dinner table with interesting people and unique role models for her three sons. Reviewer Carole Turner says that Sarah “writes in such a very intimate and frank style that the reader feels like a fly on the wall in the Smiley home” and that the book “gives an excellent behind-the-scenes look at the many sacrifices that military families make on a daily basis.”

In Charles Martin’s new novel, UNWRITTEN, Father Steady Capri knows quite a bit about helping others. But he is afraid Katie Quinn's problems may be beyond his abilities. Katie is a world-famous actress with an all-too-familiar story. Fame seems to have driven her to self-destruct. Steady knows that the true cause of her desire to end her life is buried too deeply for him to reach. However, there is one person who still may be able to save her from herself. According to reviewer Sally Tibbetts, “Even the most stoic of readers will find it hard not to shed a few tears at the book's ending. UNWRITTEN undoubtedly would be a terrific movie, either for the big screen or a made-for-TV special. Katie, Sunday and Father Steady Capri will stay with you long after the last wonderful page.” Charles wrote one of my favorite books, THE DEAD DON’T DANCE, and we have shared other titles of his with you in the past. Thus I am really happy to be sharing UNWRITTEN with you this week!

Another author whose previous books we’ve been big fans of is William Lashner, who returns from a four-year absence with a new thriller, THE ACCOUNTING. I had a great time reading this in manuscript. Lashner writes dialogue that is so full of tone that I can hear the characters in my head later when I think about the storyline. This makes his books work for me as much as his strong plotting. In THE ACCOUNTING, Jon Willing was just a teenager when he and his pals Augie and Ben stole a fortune in drug money. Twenty-five years later, Jon’s marriage is on the rocks, his kids are virtual strangers, and the recession has taken his job and decimated his finances. Worst of all, when he finds Augie murdered in Vegas, he knows the past has risen from its grave to grab him by the throat. The battle that ensues will force Jon to confront the demons of his past. Joe Hartlaub says this in his review: “As with all the best thrillers, THE ACCOUNTING is loaded with action and suspense but is balanced with an equal measure of strong and compelling character development.” Lashner's back…and we are VERY happy about this!

What books have you read recently? Let us know what you thought about them in our Word of Mouth contest, and you’ll be entered to win INFERNO, along with AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED by Khaled Hosseini and THE REDEEMER by Jo Nesbo. The deadline for your entries is Friday, May 24th at noon ET.

I was lucky enough to read an early copy of AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED; to me, it’s Khaled’s best book. He will be on NPR’s Weekend Edition on Sunday, and we will have our review next week! I cannot wait to hear what you think of this book once you read it.

On Tuesday, we kick off our Summer Reading Contests and Feature in which we’ll be giving away a different book on select days through the end of July. First up are contests for MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND by Matthew Dicks and a collection of three books by Lisa Jackson: TELL ME, READY TO DIE, and SOMETHING WICKED (co-written with Nancy Bush). Are you signed up for our Summer Reading newsletter? If not, click here to get signed up! Also, we will launch our Eighth Annual Father’s Day contest next Friday, a chance to look at --- and win --- books to honor dads!

I’d love to meet you in New York during BookExpo America…and we have two separate ways to make that happen!

First, on Friday, May 31st, from 9:30am to 10:50am, representatives from more than 20 publishers attending BookExpo America will gather at the Jacob K. Javits Center to share selections and book group news from their publishing houses in a speed-dating format designed to give book group leaders, booksellers, librarians and bloggers an inside look at what book groups will be tempted by for fall and winter. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions will be part of this event. Advance signup is required by May 23rd, 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.

The following day, Saturday, June 1st, will be Power Reader Day at BookExpo America. Tickets are $49 for you to attend this previously-not-open-to-the-public trade show. We also will be doing a speed-dating session for book groups, from 11:00am to 11:45am, which will be open to all Power Reader Day attendees. Register for Power Reader Day here, and sign up for the Speed Dating event here.

In between coughing, I have been reading NIGHT FILM by Marisha Pessl (on sale August 20th), who you may remember as the author of SPECIAL TOPICS IN CALAMITY PHYSICS. My friend Joan at the publisher sent this one over in March, earmarking it as one of her faves. After I saw Marisha at the Random House Open House for readers a few weeks ago, I went to find it on my “to be read” shelf, but it was not there. It had a distinctive cover, so I KNEW I had seen it there. Puzzled, I got another copy from Maggie at Random House and last Saturday happily settled in on the couch to read.

My husband Tom came into the family room and said, “Oh, you took the book back.” I then remembered that he had been looking for something to read, and I had handed him it and told him to tell me what he thought of it. Tom is noted for reading and giving brief one-line reports on the books; my son Cory is the same way. This time he launched into a whole conversation about how he is halfway through it and it’s dark and wonderful, and he asked what part I was up to. I was so happy that the puzzle of the missing book was unraveled that I did not react to his commentary with enough delight, and thus I fear I will not hear more from him!

NIGHT FILM is a brilliant literary thriller. Ashley Cordova, the beautiful daughter of dark filmmaker Stanislas Cordova, is found dead in a derelict building in New York. Scott McGrath, a journalist who has written extensively about Cordova, is suspicious about what happened and is off to investigate. It’s dark and wonderful. Between the prose are notes and newspaper clips that enhance the storyline and also give great backstory details. The week has been so busy that I am only halfway through NIGHT FILM, but my weekend agenda is going to be reading on a lounge chair and plotting out the garden behind the house. As promised, I made a spreadsheet of all the pots that we own, so I can plan how to fill them.

Read on…and here’s to your finding a book to enjoy this weekend!

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

INFERNO by Dan Brown (Thriller/Adventure)
In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces: Dante’s Inferno. Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

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

We have 25 copies of LADIES' NIGHT by Mary Kay Andrews, which releases on June 4th, 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, May 30th at noon ET.

LADIES' NIGHT by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating and torpedoes his pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool. Grace suddenly finds herself locked out of her palatial home, checking account, and even the blog she has worked so hard to develop in her signature style. Moving in with her widowed mother, who owns and lives above a rundown beach bar called The Sandbox, is less than ideal. So is attending court-mandated weekly "divorce recovery" therapy sessions with three other women and one man for whom betrayal seems to be the only commonality.

When their “divorce coach” starts to act suspiciously, they decide to start having their own Wednesday "Ladies' Night" sessions at The Sandbox, and the unanticipated bonds that develop lead the members of the group to try and find closure in ways they never imagined. Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there?

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

Summer is just around the corner! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We will be spotlighting a different title on select days from May 21st through July 31st, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter. We also will be sending a special daily newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.

First up will be contests for MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND by Matthew Dicks and a collection of three books by Lisa Jackson: TELL ME, READY TO DIE, and SOMETHING WICKED (co-written with Nancy Bush). Our first prize book will be announced on Tuesday, May 21st at noon ET.

LITTLE GREEN: An Easy Rawlins Mystery by Walter Mosley (Mystery)
Private eye Easy Rawlins and his murderous sidekick, Mouse, are looking for a young black man, Evander “Little Green” Noon, who disappeared during an acid trip. Fueled by an elixir called Gator’s Blood, brewed by the conjure woman Mama Jo, Easy experiences a physical, spiritual and emotional resurrection, but peace and love soon give way to murder and mayhem. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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

SOUTHERN CROSS THE DOG by Bill Cheng (Historical Fiction)
In the tradition of Cormac McCarthy and Flannery O’Connor, Bill Cheng’s SOUTHERN CROSS THE DOG is an epic literary debut in which the bonds between three childhood friends are upended by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. In its aftermath, one young man must choose between the lure of the future and the claims of the past. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

DINNER WITH THE SMILEYS: One Military Family, One Year of Heroes, and Lessons for a Lifetime by Sarah Smiley (Memoir)
While Dustin, a Navy pilot, is overseas in Africa on a year-long deployment, his wife and three young sons invite strangers into their home to fill his empty chair at Sunday dinner. Each week brings new experiences for the Smiley family. Sarah introduces her boys to role models while counting down the months and weeks until her husband returns. It is an ambitious and challenging family project filled with discoveries and surprises for both the host family and their special guests. Reviewed by Carole Turner.

-Click here to read more about the book.

FLORA by Gail Godwin (Historical Fiction)
Ten-year-old Helen and her summer guardian, Flora, are isolated together in Helen's decaying family house while her father is doing secret war work in Oak Ridge during the final months of World War II. Helen is desperate to keep her house intact with all its ghosts and stories. Flora, her late mother's 22-year old first cousin, is ardently determined to do her best for Helen. Their relationship and its fallout will haunt Helen for the rest of her life. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.

-Click here to read more about the book.

THE CONDITIONS OF LOVE by Dale M. Kushner (Fiction)
This story traces love in the life of young Eunice. In the first part, Eunice must reckon with familial love --- from an eccentric mother and an absent father. The second leg of Eunice’s journey introduces her to the steadiness of a nurturing love through her relationship with a mysterious stranger named Rose. Finally, in the third act, Eunice is initiated into the world of passionate love. Reviewed by Josh Mallory.

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

THE ACCOUNTING by William Lashner (Thriller)
Jon Willing was just a teenager when he and his pals Augie and Ben stole a fortune in drug money. Twenty-five years later, Jon’s marriage is on the rocks, his kids are virtual strangers, and the recession has taken his job and decimated his finances. Worst of all, when he finds Augie murdered in Vegas, he knows the past has risen from its grave to grab him by the throat. The battle that ensues will force Jon to confront the demons of his past. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit William Lashner’s official website.

IS THIS TOMORROW by Caroline Leavitt (Historical Fiction)
In 1956, Ava Lark rents a house with her 12-year-old son, Lewis, in a desirable Boston suburb. Lewis yearns for his absent father, befriending the only other fatherless kids: Jimmy and Rose. One afternoon, Jimmy goes missing. Years later, when Lewis and Rose reunite to untangle the final pieces of the tragic puzzle, they must decide: Should you tell the truth even if it hurts those you love, or should some secrets remain buried? Reviewed by Roz Shea.

-Click here to read more about the book.

AND THEN I FOUND YOU by Patti Callahan Henry
BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter
THE BLUE FOX by Sjón, translated by Victoria Cribb
THE FATE OF MERCY ALBAN by Wendy Webb
FLY AWAY by Kristin Hannah
A FORT OF NINE TOWERS: An Afghan Family Story by Qais Akbar Omar
FROM THE MOUTH OF THE WHALE by Sjón, translated by Victoria Cribb
GODIVA by Nicole Galland
THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI by Helene Wecker
A HALF FORGOTTEN SONG by Katherine Webb
HEMLOCK GROVE: Movie Tie-in Edition by Brian McGreevy
THE INQUISITOR’S WIFE: A Novel of Renaissance Spain by Jeanne Kalogridis
MAGNIFICENT JOE by James Wheatley
MAYA'S NOTEBOOK by Isabel Allende
MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND by Matthew Dicks
THE ONE-WAY BRIDGE by Cathie Pelletier
THE ORPHAN MASTER'S SON by Adam Johnson
THINKING, FAST AND SLOW by Daniel Kahneman
UNWRITTEN by Charles Martin
THE WHISPERING MUSE by Sjón, translated by Victoria Cribb
THE WORLD’S STRONGEST LIBRARIAN: A Memoir of Tourette's, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne

Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:

CITY OF WOMEN by David R. Gillham
GOLD by Chris Cleave
MIDNIGHT IN PEKING: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China by Paul French
THE RED BOOK by Deborah Copaken Kogan
THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS by Chris Bohjalian
WHERE WE BELONG by Emily Giffin

The following new guide is now available for Christian book groups:

WHEN LOVE CALLS: The Gregory Sisters, Book 1 by Lorna Seilstad

UNWRITTEN by Charles Martin (Fiction)
Father Steady Capri knows quite a bit about helping others. But he is afraid Katie Quinn's problems may be beyond his abilities. Katie is a world-famous actress with an all-too-familiar story. Fame seems to have driven her to self-destruct. Steady knows that the true cause of her desire to end her life is buried too deeply for him to reach. However, there is one person who still may be able to save her from herself. Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts.

-Click here for the reading group guide.

THE COOKED SEED: A Memoir by Anchee Min (Memoir)
In 1994, Anchee Min made her literary debut with RED AZALEA, a memoir of growing up in China during the violent trauma of the Cultural Revolution. Twenty years later, Min returns to the story of her own life to give us the next chapter --- an immigrant story that takes her from the shocking deprivations of her homeland to the sudden bounty of the promised land of America, without language, money, or a clear path. Reviewed by Rebecca Kilberg.

TAKING EVE: An Eve Duncan Novel by Iris Johansen (Thriller)
Jim Doane's 25-year-old son may or may not be dead, and he has only burned skull fragments as possible evidence. But he cannot go to the police for answers without risking his own secrets and dark past, so instead he chooses a bold step to find the truth --- a truth that takes forensic sculptor Eve Duncan down a twisted path of madness and evil and into the darkest heart of her own history. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

HE'S GONE by Deb Caletti (Fiction)
Dani’s husband, Ian, disappears without a trace from their houseboat in Seattle. Panic and disbelief soon give way to grief --- either he's been the victim of foul play (which is what the police assume), or he's determined not to be found. But Dani won't rest until she learns what happened to him. Her quest will dredge up dark memories from the past, and will force her to confront unpleasant truths about her relationship with Ian. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

FREE FALL: A John Ceepak Mystery by Chris Grabenstein (Mystery)
Officer Danny Boyle and Chief of Detectives John Ceepak do their best to help Danny’s friend, a young nurse who claims she has been falsely accused of aggravated assault by a prestigious Sea Haven doctor. Ceepak’s unshakable code of honor is tested when he trusts that the nurse is telling the truth. It’s stretched to the limit when one of the nurse’s home health care patients turns up dead. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE FEUD: The Hatfields and McCoys: The True Story by Dean King (History)
For more than a century, the enduring feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys has been American shorthand for passionate, unyielding, and even violent confrontation. Yet nobody has ever told the in-depth true story of this legendarily fierce and far-reaching clash in the heart of Appalachia. Drawing upon years of original research, Dean King finally gives us the complete tale, one vastly more enthralling than the myth. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

CLASS A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere by Lucas Mann (Sports)
Along the Mississippi River, in a Depression-era stadium, young prospects from all over the world compete for a chance to move up through the baseball ranks to the major leagues. Award-winning essayist Lucas Mann turns his eye on the players, the coaches, the fans, the radio announcer, the town, and finally on himself, a young man raised on baseball, driven to know what still draws him to the stadium. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

PASTORS' WIVES by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen (Fiction)
PASTORS’ WIVES follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch. Ruthie follows her Wall Street husband from New York to Magnolia, a fictional suburb of Atlanta, when he hears a calling to serve at Greenleaf. Candace is Greenleaf’s “First Lady,” a force of nature who will stop at nothing to protect her church and her superstar husband. Ginger, married to Candace’s son, struggles to play dutiful wife and mother while burying her calamitous past. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

THE OLD TURK'S LOAD by Gregory Gibson (Hard-boiled Crime Fiction)
Angelo DiNoto is a powerful crime lord in 1967, his empire bolstered by importing pure heroin courtesy of the poppies grown by an old Turkish farmer. Yet when a five-million-dollar shipment goes missing, DiNoto isn’t the only one willing to turn over every rock (and bust some heads, arms, legs, etc.) to locate it. 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

THE INQUISITOR’S WIFE by Jeanne Kalogridis
We are celebrating the release of THE INQUISITOR’S WIFE by Jeanne Kalogridis --- a tale of love, loss and treachery set during the perilous days of the Spanish Inquisition --- 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, June 4th at noon ET.
 

THE ONE-WAY BRIDGE by Cathie Pelletier
We are celebrating the release of THE ONE-WAY BRIDGE by Cathie Pelletier --- an unforgettable portrait of loneliness, family, community, and the kinds of changes we make for love --- with a special contest. Three readers will have the opportunity to each win 12 copies of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 4th at noon ET.
 

THE FATE OF MERCY ALBAN by Wendy Webb
We are celebrating the release of THE FATE OF MERCY ALBAN by Wendy Webb --- a modern take on a gothic ghost story with long-buried family secrets bubbling to the surface --- with a special contest. Three book groups will win a chat with Wendy (by phone, via Skype, or in person) and 12 copies of THE FATE OF MERCY ALBAN, while 25 other groups will win one copy of the book. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 4th at noon ET.
 

SHADOW OF NIGHT by Deborah Harkness
We are celebrating the May 28th paperback release of SHADOW OF NIGHT --- the much-anticipated sequel to Deborah Harkness’s debut novel, A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES --- with an exciting contest. One book group will win a Skype chat with Deborah and copies of SHADOW OF NIGHT, while five other groups will win copies of the book. All Skype chats must be scheduled between June 2nd and June 8th. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 22nd at noon ET.

“What Are You Reading?” Monthly Contest Feature
Let us know what your group is reading in May, and you will be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! Our latest prize book is BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter, a story of flawed yet fascinating people navigating the rocky shores of their lives while clinging to their improbable dreams. We have 12 copies of the book, which is now available in paperback, to give away to three groups. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 4th at noon ET.
 

Kidsreads.com

THE 39 CLUES: THE CAHILL VAULT, Book Two: SPYMASTERS by Clifford Riley
To celebrate the release of Clifford Riley's SPYMASTERS, the second volume in The 39 Clues: The Cahill Files series --- which features three stories previously published exclusively as eBook shorts --- we're running a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of these adventures through time. The deadline for entries is Monday, July 1st at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com

JENNIFER: An O’Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson
We are celebrating the release of JENNIFER: An O'Malley Love Story with a special contest that will give 40 readers the opportunity to win a copy of Dee Henderson's uplifting story about Jennifer O'Malley --- a woman whose faith is about to be tested, and in a way she never expected. The deadline for entries is Thursday, June 13th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com's Monthly Contest
In our latest monthly contest, five readers will receive a copy of I'M NO ANGEL: From Victoria's Secret Model to Role Model. In December 2011, 21-year-old Victoria's Secret model Kylie Bisutti stunned the fashion industry when she chose faith over fame and fortune and made the switch from supermodel to role model. In I'M NO ANGEL, Kylie shares her story. The deadline for entries is Thursday, June 13th 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 May 10th to May 24th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED by Khaled Hosseini, INFERNO by Dan Brown, and THE REDEEMER by Jo Nesbø.

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.

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