June 7, 2013

Just when I thought I was making nice headway through my “to be read” pile, along came BookExpo America. My pile of reading treasures grew enormously last weekend. For someone who is addicted to books, a new season of publishing solidifies my “junkie” status. On Saturday, as we were trudging to the car in the wicked heat and humidity, I told Greg that I wanted to run up to the office and get a book that I wanted to read. He looked at me like I was daft, knowing how many books we had at home and in his computer bag. But I had heard Elizabeth L. Silver talk about THE EXECUTION OF NOA P. SINGLETON at a breakfast, and I really wanted to read it. I knew Greg was as tired as I was, and I did not push this point, opting to get the air conditioning going full throttle in the car. So I have this book to look forward to this weekend!

Instead, I went home and completely absorbed myself in THE BOOK OF SOMEDAY by Dianne Dixon, which will be published on September 3rd. I am two-thirds of the way through the book, which is about three women whose stories I have been promised by the jacket copy will collide together. Each plotline thus far has been well told, and as of page 213, I have not unraveled how they will intertwine. As I am usually the one who whispers “I figured it out” in the middle of a movie, much to my husband’s dismay, this is a nice treat!

It was great to meet many of you at BEA last weekend. I appreciate your taking the time to say hi and introduce yourselves. For those of you who joined us at the Speed Dating sessions, I heard from MANY of you that you enjoyed them as much as our presenters did. If you could not join us and are curious about what fall/winter 2013 books are perfect for book group discussions, then click here to find suggestions from more than 20 publishers that were presented last weekend. Not in a book group? Still take a look as we have details on some of the big titles of fall here! We also have provided a spreadsheet with all the featured titles here for quick ordering/sharing.

Stephen King's new novel, JOYLAND, is now in stores courtesy of the publisher Hard Case Crime. Set in a small-town North Carolina amusement park in 1973, the book tells the story of the summer in which college student Devin Jones comes to work as a carny and confronts the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and the ways both will change his life forever. JOYLAND will only be available as a paperback and an audiobook, and the author himself explains why: “I love crime, I love mysteries, and I love ghosts. That combo made Hard Case Crime the perfect venue for this book, which is one of my favorites. I also loved the paperbacks I grew up with as a kid, and for that reason, we’re going to hold off on e-publishing this one for the time being. JOYLAND will be coming out in paperback, and folks who want to read it will have to buy the actual book."

Reviewers Joe Hartlaub and Tom Callahan are such big fans of Stephen King’s work that we decided to post TWO reviews of the book. Joe says, “There aren’t any sentient choo-choos heading toward oblivion, clowns hiding under bridges, or dads going insane in out-of-season tourist hotels, but the storytelling chops that those books and so many others exhibited are in full-on and full-bore display in JOYLAND.” Meanwhile, Tom calls the book “a masterpiece of pulp fiction storytelling. It shows King at the height of his powers as a storyteller…. May both Stephen King and Hard Case Crime continue to entertain us for years to come.”

June is also a big month for King because it marks the debut of “Under the Dome,” a 13-episode summer series based on his 2009 thriller of the same name. The premiere is set for Monday, June 24th at 10:00pm ET on CBS. “Under the Dome” is among the many movies, TV shows and DVDs coming this month. Check out our June Books on Screen feature for more viewing options, including Much Ado About Nothing, World War Z, Man of Steel, TNT’s “King and Maxwell,” based on David Baldacci’s series of thrillers, and Tiger Eyes, adapted from Judy Blume’s 1981 book. I had the absolute pleasure of attending a screening for Tiger Eyes on Wednesday night, where Blume and her son Lawrence spoke about the film that they co-wrote the screenplay for --- and he directed. It’s in theaters today in a limited release, but also will be available via iTunes and Amazon, among other paid online channels. It made me want to visit New Mexico again, as it’s beautifully shot and set there; the scenery feels like a character.

LADIES’ NIGHT, the latest novel from Mary Kay Andrews that we’ve been featuring in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight, released this week, and we have our review and interview. Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating. Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there? Jamie Layton has this to say in her review: “True to her track record, Mary Kay Andrews has another great summer hit on her hands. Readers will become so emotionally vested that they are likely to finish it in one sitting, preferably on a beach!” In our interview, Mary Kay talks to Jamie about where her ideas come from and the thrill of a successful DIY project. I am hoping to catch MKA, as we call her around the office, when she is in New Jersey later this month! See her full travel schedule here.

Our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight of S. J. Bolton’s LOST culminates this week with our review. In this third installment of Bolton’s series featuring Lacey Flint, the young detective constable and a courageous, lonely 11-year-old boy must work together to unmask a killer before it’s too late for them both. According to Joe Hartlaub, “The last 40 pages or so may well be some of the most suspenseful passages you will read this year, a perfect ending to the relentless build-up that precedes them.” Joe is a huge S. J. Bolton fan; read his review to see why.

The long-awaited sequel to 2003’s THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA is here! In Lauren Weisberger’s REVENGE WEARS PRADA: The Devil Returns, almost a decade has passed since Andy Sachs quit working for Miranda Priestly at Runway magazine. Andy and Emily, her former nemesis and co-assistant, have since joined forces to start a high-end bridal magazine. When she discovers a secret letter with crushing implications, Andy’s wedding-day jitters turn to cold dread. She realizes that nothing --- not her husband, nor her beloved career --- is as it seems. Hillary Wagy has our review and says, “Celebrity weddings in exotic locations with extravagant, luxurious details will provide Hollywood with another blockbuster movie. The New York skyline and visions of Meryl Streep as the infamous Miranda Priestly from the 2006 motion picture adaptation keep popping up in the reader’s head as Miranda makes her strategic and devilish moves to acquire The Plunge.” I confess that as I was reading this, I could hear Meryl Streep’s trilling voice and see Anne Hathaway’s perky face.

We continue our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight contests that started last week. We have 25 copies of HER LAST BREATH, the fifth installment in Linda Castillo’s series featuring Police Chief Kate Burkholder, to give away to readers who would like to read and comment on the book, which releases on June 18th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 13th at noon ET. Meanwhile, 25 readers will have the opportunity to win a copy of CRIME OF PRIVILEGE by trial lawyer Walter Walker, which also releases on June 18th, and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 13th at noon ET.

Bestselling mystery novelist Martha Grimes teams up with her son, Ken Grimes, to write DOUBLE DOUBLE. In this “dual memoir of alcoholism,” they offer two points of view on their struggles with the disease. In alternating chapters, they share their stories of drinking, recovery, relapse, friendship, travel, work, success and failure. Barbara Bamberger Scott has this to say in her review: “Written by two highly intelligent people who have an unusual penchant for frank self-examination, DOUBLE DOUBLE could offer others a rational trail out of the fog of alcoholism.” Martha was a speaker at a dinner that I attended last week during BEA, and though she only referenced this book a tad, she did offer an anecdote about being offered a drink coupon upon her arrival in the city, which clearly was the last thing she wanted.

IS THIS TOMORROW by Caroline Leavitt, which I praised in the newsletter last month, is my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On title. Ava Lark rents a house with her 12-year-old son, Lewis, in a desirable Boston suburb in 1956. 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? Click here for my thoughts about this deeply moving story.
 

A couple of weeks ago, we featured A CERTAIN SUMMER by Patricia Beard as a Bets On title. This week, we’re pleased to share our review with you. Set in 1948 at an idyllic beach community called Wauregan, the book introduces readers to Helen Wadsworth, whose husband has been declared missing since an OSS operation in France during World War II. She is currently vacationing with her 14-year-old son, Jack, as they always have done. While she waits for news about what happened to her husband and longs for his return, two other men fall for her, which brings much drama to the summer. Reviewer Norah Piehl says that readers will be “caught up in Beard's thoughtful portrayal of life after war and her careful consideration of how all these families --- even those whose husbands returned home --- remained ever changed.”

The countdown to Father’s Day is on! We’ve been celebrating dads the past couple of weeks with our Eighth Annual Father’s Day Contest and Feature. Readers have a chance to win a collection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five winners will receive all the books we’re featuring, along with a cooler that is touted to keep contents cold for two days, a flashlight, and an iTunes gift card. You ONLY have until Monday, June 10th at noon ET to enter, so the time to do so is NOW. Click here to see this year’s featured titles.

In keeping with the Father’s Day theme, we are thrilled to share with you a wonderful essay written exclusively for us by Rorke Denver, a Navy SEAL officer whose memoir, DAMN FEW: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior, released in February. The Lieutenant Commander opens his piece with these two sentences: “This Father’s Day, America’s military recruiters and America’s booksellers ought to form some kind of alliance. I’ll bet they have more in common than either realizes.” For Rorke, books and being a warrior have been thoroughly intertwined. In this special feature, he talks about five books that all hold prominent spots on his bookshelf and will continue to inspire him in all that he does in the future. A few are titles I have read; others are marked to be explored. Click here to read more about DAMN FEW, which he co-wrote with Ellis Henican.

The US Open kicks off on June 10th, which means at our house there will be golf around the clock. To celebrate the start of golf’s second major of the year, our resident golf expert, Stuart Shiffman, has written his annual feature spotlighting some of the best golf books of the season. Click here for intriguing memoirs, instructional books, and a picture book celebrating the sport’s most inspiring underdog story.

In our Summer Reading Feature, we have contests running on select days through July 31st from our list here that provides suggestions to keep you well-read this summer. This week, we posted giveaways for SUTTON by J. R. Moehringer and THOSE WE LOVE MOST by Lee Woodruff. Next week, we’ve be giving away THE INNOCENTS by Francesca Segal and WISP OF A THING by Alex Bledsoe. Are you signed up for our Summer Reading newsletter so you get word as soon as our contests go live? If not, click here to get signed up!

June is Audiobook Month, and to celebrate, we’ve kicked off a month-long blog series with pieces from authors who are avid fans of audiobooks. This week, we heard from Janis Ian, the aforementioned Mary Kay Andrews, Jack Gantos, Francesca Serritella and Gary Dell’Abate. Next week, we look forward to pieces from Aaron Hartzler, Mary Roach, Rainbow Rowell, Joseph Finder and Karin Slaughter.

We’ve posted our New in Paperback roundups for June. Among the highlights are FLIGHT BEHAVIOR by Barbara Kingsolver, THE MIDDLESTEINS by Jami Attenberg, and three previous Bets On selections: THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty, THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB by Will Schwalbe and IN THE SHADOW OF THE BANYAN by Vaddey Ratner.

We have a new Word of Mouth contest for you. Let us know what you’ve read by Friday, June 21st at noon ET, and you’ll have the opportunity to win a copy of THE KING’S DECEPTION by Steve Berry, THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman, and THE WIDOW WALTZ by Sally Koslow.

I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend with no plans as the next three weekends are busy. The second coat of paint was layered onto the pool last Saturday, and I think we can start filling it with water on this Sunday afternoon. You need to calculate five “dry” days, so if it rains in between, you need to allow extra dry time for that. I feel like I am trapped in one of those fourth-grade math word problems. “If the pool was painted on Saturday and it needs five days to dry and it has rained 1.1 days and it is to rain 1.5 more days, when can water go in the pool?” This remodel project started right around the time Superstorm Sandy hit, so it’s a tad ironic that it’s wrapping up as the first tropical storm of the season hits. Above as promised is a photo of the lovely hibiscus plants on the patio.

For our readers in the MANY parts of the country where natural disasters have been the order of the day these past weeks, our thoughts are with you! It’s been a brutal last few weeks.

Read on….

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

JOYLAND by Stephen King (Mystery/Thriller)
Set in a small-town North Carolina amusement park in 1973, JOYLAND tells the story of the summer in which college student Devin Jones comes to work as a carny and confronts the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and the ways both will change his life forever. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and Tom Callahan.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Read reviews by Joe Hartlaub and Tom Callahan.
 

In Mary Kay Andrews’s latest novel, LADIES’ NIGHT, Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating. Heartache, humor, and a little bit of mystery come together in a story about life’s unpredictable twists and turns. Fortunately, the only real-life plot point that inspired the book was Mary Kay’s penchant for house fluffing --- and, of course, blogging about it. In this interview, the Queen of the Summer Beach Read talks to Bookreporter.com’s Jamie Layton about where her ideas come from (hint: even titles can be aspirational), the thrill of a successful DIY project, and what we can expect from her next. And for all the antique junkies out there, Mary Kay also shares some of her favorite flea markets, as well as the reason she prefers to read a good lifestyle blog to an old-fashioned home magazine.

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. Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there? Heartache, humor, and a little bit of mystery come together in a story about life’s unpredictable twists and turns. Reviewed by Jamie Layton.

-Click here to read more about the book.

TRANSATLANTIC by Colum McCann (Fiction)
As he did in LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN, Colum McCann uses real-life events in TRANSATLANTIC to frame a larger story, this one a tale of four generations of women. From Alcock and Brown’s historic flight from Newfoundland to County Galway, to a young Frederick Douglass’s visit to Ireland, and George Mitchell’s efforts to broker peace in Northern Ireland, McCann covers 170 years of U.S.-Irish history to tell a riveting story of parents and children. Reviewed by Michael Magras.

LOST by S. J. Bolton (Thriller)
Like everyone reading the newspapers these days, 10-year-old Barney Roberts knows the killer will strike again soon. There will be no warning about who will be next. There will be no real reason for Barney’s friend and neighbor, Lacey Flint, to become involved…and no chance that she can stay away. With the clock ticking, the violence escalating, and young lives at stake, Lacey and Barney both know they can’t afford a single wrong step if they hope to make it through alive. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.

We have 25 copies of HER LAST BREATH by Linda Castillo, which releases on June 18th, 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, June 13th at noon ET.

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and loved us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? From now through June 10th at noon ET, readers will have the chance to win a collection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five winners will receive all the books we’re featuring, along with a cooler that is touted to keep contents cold for two days, a flashlight, and an iTunes gift card.

This year's featured titles are:

• ARCHIPELAGO by Monique Roffey
• BUTCH CASSIDY: The Lost Years by William W. Johnstone with J.A. Johnstone
• CRASHED: A Junior Bender Mystery by Timothy Hallihnan
• DAD IS FAT by Jim Gaffigan
• THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE: Changing Your World through the Impact of Your Influence by Pat Williams with Jim Denney
• FATHERHOOD: And Other Stories by Thomas H. Cook
• ONE LAST THING BEFORE I GO by Jonathan Tropper
• SOMEONE COULD GET HURT: A Memoir of Twenty-First-Century Parenthood by Drew Magary
• WALKING WITH JACK: A Father's Journey to Become His Son's Caddie by Don J. Snyder

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 now 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.

This year's featured titles include:

• APPROACHING THE SPEED OF LIGHT by Victoria Lustbader
• THE ESKIMO HUNTS IN MIAMI by Stefan Kanfer
• THE EXPATS by Chris Pavone
• GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn
• THE INNOCENTS by Francesca Segal
• IS THIS TOMORROW by Caroline Leavitt
• MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND by Matthew Dicks
• THE PANTHER by Nelson DeMille
• PASTORS' WIVES by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
• READY TO DIE: A Selena Alvarez/Regan Pescoli Novel by Lisa Jackson
• THE RED BOOK by Deborah Copaken Kogan
• SEA CHANGE by S.M. Wheeler
• SISTERLAND by Curtis Sittenfeld
• SOMETHING WICKED by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush
• SUTTON by J.R. Moehringer
• TELL ME by Lisa Jackson
• THOSE WE LOVE MOST by Lee Woodruff
• WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD by Susan Crandall
• WISP OF A THING by Alex Bledsoe

Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, June 11th at noon ET.

June’s New in Paperback roundups include the following highlights:

FLIGHT BEHAVIOR by Barbara Kingsolver (Fiction)
Set in the present day in the rural community of Feathertown, Tennessee, FLIGHT BEHAVIOR tells the story of Dellarobia Turnbow, a petite, razor-sharp 29-year-old who nurtured worldly ambitions before becoming pregnant and marrying at 17. Now, after more than a decade of tending to small children on a failing farm, oppressed by poverty, isolation and her husband's antagonistic family, she has mitigated her boredom by surrendering to an obsessive flirtation with a handsome younger man.

THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty (Fiction)
Only a few years before becoming a famous actress and an icon for her generation, a 15-year-old Louise Brooks leaves Wichita to make it big in New York. Much to her annoyance, she is accompanied by a 36-year-old chaperone who is neither mother nor friend. Young Louise is known for her arrogance and her lack of respect for convention. Ultimately, the five weeks they spend together will change their lives forever.

THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB by Will Schwalbe (Memoir)
This is the inspiring true story of a son and his mother, who start a “book club” that brings them together as her life comes to a close. Over the next two years, Will and Mary Anne carry on conversations that are both wide-ranging and deeply personal, prompted by an eclectic array of books and a shared passion for reading.

THE MIDDLESTEINS by Jami Attenberg (Fiction)
For more than 30 years, Edie and Richard Middlestein shared a solid family life together in the suburbs of Chicago. But now things are splintering apart, seemingly for one reason: Edie's enormous girth. When Richard abandons her, it is up to the next generation of Middlesteins to take control. Do Edie's devastating choices rest on her shoulders alone, or are others at fault, too?

IN THE SHADOW OF THE BANYAN by Vaddey Ratner (Historical Fiction)
For seven-year-old Raami, the shattering end of childhood begins the night her father comes home bringing details of the civil war that has overwhelmed the streets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital. Over the next four years, as she endures the deaths of family members, starvation and brutal forced labor, Raami clings to the remaining vestige of childhood --- the mythical legends and poems her father told her.

THE RECEPTIONIST: An Education at The New Yorker by Janet Groth (Memoir)
Janet Groth recalls the two decades she spent as a receptionist for The New Yorker in this memoir that details the comings and goings, marriages and divorces, scandalous affairs, failures, triumphs and tragedies of the eccentric inhabitants of the 18th floor. During those single-in-the-city years, Groth tried on many identities, but eventually she would have to leave The New Yorker to find her true self.

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 a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.

REVENGE WEARS PRADA: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger (Fiction)
Almost a decade has passed since Andy Sachs quit working for Miranda Priestly at Runway magazine. Andy and Emily, her former nemesis and co-assistant, have since joined forces to start a high-end bridal magazine. When she discovers a secret letter with crushing implications, Andy’s wedding-day jitters turn to cold dread. She realizes that nothing --- not her husband, nor her beloved career --- is as it seems. Reviewed by Hillary Wagy.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

THE KILL ROOM: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver (Thriller)
The nation's most renowned investigator and forensics expert, Lincoln Rhyme, is drafted to investigate the murder of an American citizen who was targeted by the US government and assassinated in the Bahamas. While his partner, Amelia Sachs, traces the victim's steps in Manhattan, Rhyme leaves the city to pursue the sniper himself. As details of the case start to emerge, the pair discovers that not all is what it seems. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

BIG BROTHER by Lionel Shriver (Fiction)
For Pandora, cooking is a form of love. But her husband, Fletcher, now spurns her “toxic” dishes and devotes hours each day to manic cycling. Then, when Pandora picks up her brother Edison at the airport, she doesn’t recognize him. In the years since they’ve seen one another, the once slim, hip New York jazz pianist has gained hundreds of pounds. After Edison has more than overstayed his welcome, Fletcher delivers his wife an ultimatum: It’s him or me. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here for the reading group guide.

A SERPENT'S TOOTH: A Walt Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson (Mystery/Western)
A Mormon “lost boy,” Cord Lynear is searching for his missing mother, but clues are scarce. Walt Longmire and his companions, feisty deputy Victoria Moretti and longtime friend Henry Standing Bear, embark on a high plains scavenger hunt in hopes of reuniting mother and son. The trail leads them to an interstate polygamy group that’s presiding over a stockpile of weapons and harboring a vicious vendetta. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

DOUBLE DOUBLE: A Dual Memoir of Alcoholism by Martha Grimes and Ken Grimes (Memoir)
People who suffer from alcoholism as well as their families and friends know that while it is possible to get sober, there is no one “right” way to do this. Now, award-winning mystery writer Martha Grimes and her son, Ken Grimes, offer two points of view on their struggles with alcoholism. In alternating chapters, they share their stories --- stories of drinking, recovery, relapse, friendship, travel, work, success and failure. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

ZERO HOUR: A Kurt Austin Adventure by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown (Thriller/Adventure)
Zero point energy is a state of energy contained in all matter everywhere. Nobody has ever found a way to tap into it --- until one scientist thinks he discovers a way. The problem is, his machines also cause great earthquakes, even fissures in tectonic plates. One machine is buried deep underground; the other is submerged in a vast ocean trench. If Kurt Austin, Joe Zavala and the rest of the NUMA team aren’t able to find and destroy them, the world will be on the threshold of a new era of earth tremors and unchecked volcanism. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

IF YOU WERE HERE by Alafair Burke (Mystery/Thriller)
Manhattan journalist McKenna Jordan is chasing the story of an unidentified woman who heroically pulled a teenage boy from the subway tracks. When she locates footage of part of the incident, she is shocked to discover that the woman in the video bears a strong resemblance to a close friend who disappeared a decade earlier. This sends McKenna on a dangerous search for the missing woman --- a search that will force her to unearth long-buried truths much closer to home. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE LAST TRAIN TO ZONA VERDE: My Ultimate African Safari by Paul Theroux (Travel/Memoir)
“Happy again, back in the kingdom of light,” writes Paul Theroux as he sets out on a new journey through the continent he knows and loves best. Theroux first came to Africa as a 22-year-old Peace Corps volunteer, and the pull of the vast land never left him. Now he returns, after 50 years on the road, to explore the little-traveled territory of western Africa and to take stock both of the place and of himself. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

A DUAL INHERITANCE by Joanna Hershon (Fiction)
In 1962, two students meet one evening during their senior year at Harvard --- Ed, a Jewish kid on scholarship, and Hugh, a Boston Brahmin with the world at his feet. Ed is ambitious and girl-crazy, while Hugh pines for the one girl he's ever loved. An immediate, intense friendship is sparked that night between these two opposites, which ends just as abruptly, several years later, although only one of them understands why. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

THE WORLD’S STRONGEST LIBRARIAN: A Memoir of Tourette's, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne (Memoir)
Although he wouldn’t officially be diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome until his freshman year of high school, Josh Hanagarne was six years old when he first began exhibiting symptoms. By the time he was 20, the young Mormon had reached his towering adult height of 6’7” when his Tourette’s tics escalated to nightmarish levels. Despite undergoing treatments that failed miserably, Josh persevered to marry and earn a degree in Library Science. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.

-Click here for the reading group guide.

A CERTAIN SUMMER by Patricia Beard (Historical Fiction)
Set in 1948 at an idyllic beach community called Wauregan, this debut novel introduces readers to Helen Wadsworth, whose husband has been declared missing since an OSS operation in France during World War II. She is currently vacationing with her 14-year-old son, Jack, as they always have done. While she waits for news about what happened to her husband and longs for his return, two other men fall for her, which brings much drama to the summer. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to see why we’re betting you’ll love this book.

YESTERDAY’S ECHO by Matt Coyle (Thriller)
Rick Cahill was never convicted of his wife's murder, but he was never exonerated either. When he meets Melody Malana, a beautiful yet secretive TV reporter, he sees a chance to love again. When she is arrested for murder and asks Rick for help, the former cop says no, but the rest of him says yes and he grasps at a chance for redemption. However, Rick's attempt to help turns terribly wrong, and he becomes a suspect in the murder and the target of a police manhunt. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.

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

PASTORS' WIVES by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
We are celebrating the release of PASTORS’ WIVES --- Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s debut novel that follows three women whose lives converge and intertwine at a Southern evangelical megachurch--- with a special contest. 25 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, July 9th at noon ET.

THE MOURNING HOURS by Paula Treick DeBoard
We are celebrating the upcoming release of THE MOURNING HOURS by debut author Paula Treick DeBoard --- a gripping novel of betrayal and forgiveness as a family is forced to confront the devastating event that changed the trajectory of their lives --- with a special contest. 25 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which will be in stores on June 25th, for their group. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, July 9th at noon ET.

THE ALMOND TREE by Michelle Cohen Corasanti
We are celebrating the release of THE ALMOND TREE --- Michelle Cohen Corasanti’s debut novel that delivers an inspirational story of unfathomable pain and an incredible perseverance --- with a special contest. 100 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, July 9th at noon ET.

"What Are You Reading?" Monthly Contest Feature
Let us know what your group is reading in June, and you will be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! Our latest prize book is SWEET SALT AIR by Barbara Delinsky, the story of a woman who has a secret that may save the life of her best friend's husband --- or destroy him. We have 12 copies of the book, which will be in stores on June 18th, to give away to three groups. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, July 9th at noon ET.

20SomethingReads.com

Summer Beach Bag of Books 2013
It's time to think about Summer Reading --- and we're not talking about the books on those Required Summer Reading lists you might have become accustomed to in high school. What we're talking about are the kinds of books that you're glad you now have time to kick back with and enjoy. The way we see it, it wouldn't be summer without sun, surf and great reading. You supply the beach chair, and we'll provide the fantastic fiction in our Second Annual 20SomethingReads.com Beach Bag of Books Contest. The deadline for entries is Thursday, July 18th at noon ET.

Teenreads.com

Summer Beach Bag of Books 2013
It's time to think about Summer Reading --- and we're not talking about the list of books you'll be receiving for Required Summer Reading from school. What we're talking about are the kinds of books that you're glad you now have time to kick back with and enjoy. The way we see it, it wouldn't be summer without sun, surf, and great reading. You supply the beach chair, and we'll provide the fantastic fiction in our Seventh Annual Teenreads.com Beach Bag of Books Contest. The deadline for entries is Thursday, July 18th at noon ET.

The Grisha Trilogy
In anticipation of the June 4th release of SIEGE AND STORM --- the second installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy, which follows Alina back into the country she abandoned to fight the forces against Ravka --- we have a special contest that will give five readers the opportunity to win a copy of both SIEGE AND STORM and the first book in the series, SHADOW AND BONE. The deadline for entries is Monday, July 8th 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 25 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.