July 5, 2013

The true joy of a long weekend is the chance to line up a stack of books and know you have time to enjoy them. Between picnic dinners, there’s been lots of time for floating and reading, and hammock swinging and reading. Hope you are doing the same.

I devoured --- and loved --- THE SILENT WIFE, a debut novel by A. S. A. Harrison. She had been scheduled to be on one of the panels I attended at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference last weekend, but I was sad to learn that she passed away in April from cancer. Joe Hartlaub had this to say about THE SILENT WIFE last week in his review: “THE SILENT WIFE is so well-paced and reads so quickly that it’s easy to glide over important points that come back to explode behind you when you’ve all but forgotten about them.” I heartily agree; this slim novel about a relationship headed for dissolution and the wife's plan for revenge --- which is told in alternating chapters of "Him" and "Her" --- is so well-crafted. It should be a book talked about all summer!

When I was in Chicago for ALA, there were so many stellar events. Donna Seaman, an old friend of The Book Report Network, interviewed Khaled Hosseini in what was a big show highlight for me. I think that AND THE MOUNTAINS ECHOED is Khaled’s strongest book --- and I was happy to hear him agree; he feels it is his “most polished,” which is a good phrase to describe it. He spoke about the heart of the book being the relationship between a brother and a sister and how their separation is the beating heart of the story. He talked about how class comes into play in all of his books --- the difference between affluence and abject poverty. He also spoke about his desire to write about the world beyond Afghanistan in his upcoming work. I was with three librarians who I know from the Secaucus Public Library, and it was such fun to share this very special event with them. Afterwards, they headed over to a signing line while I went to another event. TWO hours later, Khaled was still signing books!

Later that afternoon, I attended a “Quirky Books for Quirky Librarians” panel where Josh Hanagarne, the author of THE WORLD’S STRONGEST LIBRARIAN, was one of the speakers. Josh has battled Tourette Syndrome since he was six. His talk was heartfelt, and I don’t think you could have sat in that room without wanting to just cheer for this man who has overcome so many obstacles to enjoy the big --- and small --- things in life. We ran our review when the book was published, which you can read here.

Also on this panel was Stephen P. Kiernan, whose book THE CURIOSITY we currently are running a contest for on both Bookreporter.com and ReadingGroupGuides.com for book groups. We will have our review next week. He told a fun story about how Chris Bohjalian (whose THE LIGHT IN THE RUINS releases on Tuesday the 9th, just as Stephen’s book does) gave him an idea that solved a plot issue in his book. Each year, Chris, a good friend who, like Stephen, lives in Vermont, rents a house in Tuscany. He invited Stephen to join him, and as he and other friends were talking one night, the subject of how the story Stephen was crafting was stuck came up. Chris gave him an idea for a female character, and from there the writing flowed. Want to hear more about this story? Well, Chris has asked Stephen to join him at many stops on his own tour. Here is a list where they will be together.

At ALA, even the bus rides can lead to adventures. One morning, Marika Zemke, a librarian from Commerce Library in Michigan, sat down next to me. We had corresponded years ago about ReadingGroupGuides.com. Between the stop where she got on and the convention center, we sliced and diced book lists of interest to book groups with “Have you read” and “What did you think?” peppering our conversation. I loved that, and I am so glad we reconnected! We moseyed into Temple Grandin’s auditorium event, where a full room was on hand to hear a brilliant presentation about autism and overcoming its challenges that she has written about most recently in THE AUTISTIC BRAIN: Thinking Across the Spectrum.

Temple had soooo many quotable lines during her hour-long talk. My pen was racing across the page as I was taking notes. One of my favorites is that she thinks personality traits are like a music mixing board. They come together to make all kinds of messages. She also talked about the inventors who often have quiet personalities. She feels that the first spear was invented by someone who was shaping it in quiet instead of from the “yak yaks” sitting around the campfire. Very amusing and probably true! Her presentation on the autistic brain was both educated and accessible. One audience member who was in the special education field said that it was the best presentation he ever has seen on the subject.

A special moment happened when a young man on the microphone during the question-and-answer session shared that his parents had approached Temple for advice on what to do for him when he was young and diagnosed with autism. She had given them advice that they followed, and he was proud to share that he had graduated with his Masters in Library Science. He was now asking for advice in the workplace. I see a real need for a book on this subject from her purview as we know the autistic population is swelling. As she mentioned, there are small accommodations that can make a big difference if we just home in on them.

The conference wrapped for me with five GREAT authors at the Book & Author Tea on Monday. The lineup was Jeffery Deaver (I cannot wait to read THE OCTOBER LIST coming in October, which is written backwards from end to beginning…an ambitious task that Jeffery clearly is up to), Jojo Moyes (whose ME BEFORE YOU I finally am getting to this weekend as it has been on my pile since it published earlier this year; it releases in paperback on July 30th), Wally Lamb (WE ARE WATER sounds wonderful and will be in stores on October 22nd; it’s based on two stories that had roots in his town of Norwich, CT that he wove into fiction, and the advance reading copy is on my “TBR” pile), Melanie Benjamin (I am such a fan of THE AVIATOR’S WIFE), and Mark Billingham (who rocked the house with a string of stories that had the room in one long laughter soundtrack...and yes, he also talked about THE DYING HOURS, a Tom Thorne novel coming on August 6th). What a GREAT weekend, and trust that there was a LOT more from this conference to share in the months to come.

Back to this week’s update, which is BIG considering we only were in the office 2 1/2 days, so I again tip my baseball hat to the editorial team.

Will Trent is back in UNSEEN, the seventh installment in Karin Slaughter’s crime series featuring the Georgia Bureau of Investigation special agent. Will’s latest case has him posing as Bill Black, a scary ex-con who rides a motorcycle and trails an air of violence wherever he goes. The cover has worked, and he has caught the eye of a drug dealer who thinks he might be a useful ally. But undercover and cut off from the support of the woman he loves, Sara Linton, Will finds his demons catching up with him. Joe Hartlaub has our review and says, “UNSEEN is one of those books that just flies by, and is seemingly impossible to put down once you start reading…. While the book is complete in itself, its surprise ending will leave long-time readers wondering what will happen next.”

Also in stores this week is WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD, the latest novel from Susan Crandall that we previewed earlier this year in our "Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book" feature. The story takes place in the summer of 1963 and introduces readers to nine-year-old Starla Claudelle, who runs away from home to be with her mother in Nashville and is offered a ride by a black woman who is traveling with a white baby. As the two unlikely companions make their long and sometimes dangerous journey, Starla’s eyes are opened to the harsh realities of 1963 southern segregation. Reviewer Barbara Bamberger Scott calls the book “a multi-layered saga that can be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. It has a cinematic quality that will make readers wish for a screen version.” WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection as I am CRAZY about this book. Find out why next week! You can see what our early readers had to say about it here.

We also have our review of THE EXECUTION OF NOA P. SINGLETON by Elizabeth L. Silver, which generated lots of buzz in the weeks leading up to its release last month. Noa P. Singleton was found guilty of first-degree murder 10 years ago. Now, just six months away from her execution date, Noa is visited by Marlene Dixon, an attorney who is also the heartbroken mother of the woman Noa was imprisoned for killing. She tells Noa that she has had a change of heart and will do everything in her power to convince the governor to commute the sentence to life in prison --- if Noa will finally reveal what led her to commit her crime. According to reviewer Terry Miller Shannon, “Author Elizabeth L. Silver displays a wicked genius for sucking us into a black maelstrom of nebulous uncertainty, making our need to find out the truth all the more urgent. Believe the hype: this is quite the irresistible page-turner.” I agree with Terry. The pacing and voice build the suspense.

We’ve been featuring Sandra Lee’s THE RECIPE BOX in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. This week, we have our review from Bronwyn Miller, who says, “THE RECIPE BOX is a sound fiction debut from Sandra Lee, combining a sweet story of mothers and daughters, friends and lovers, complete with some of the most mouth-watering recipes peppered throughout.” Bronwyn also had the opportunity to chat with Sandra, and we will have the interview for you very soon.

THE RECIPE BOX is one of the books we’re featuring in this month’s New in Paperback roundups. Among the many others are THE CASUAL VACANCY by J. K. Rowling, THE INN AT ROSE HARBOR by Debbie Macomber, THE GOOD DREAM by Donna VanLiere, THE OTHER WOMAN by Hank Phillippi Ryan, TRUST YOUR EYES by Linwood Barclay (a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection when it released in hardcover) and THE SURVIVOR by Gregg Hurwitz. Click here for our complete list of July paperbacks.

We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. Among July’s feature films are The Lone Ranger, Red 2 and The Wolverine. On the small screen, don’t miss “Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove,” Hallmark Channel’s first-ever original primetime series, which premieres on Saturday, July 20th, and “Under the Dome” continues its 13-episode summer run on CBS. DVD releases include The Host and Admission.

You only have until Monday, July 8th at noon ET to enter our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight contest for Jessica Brockmole’s debut novel, LETTERS FROM SKYE. We have 25 copies to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on July 9th, and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form before the deadline. As I mentioned last week, this will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. And if you haven’t seen the terrific trailer for the book yet, I suggest you click on this link. It is very atmospheric and was actually shot on the isle of Skye.

Also still running is our contest for THE BOOK OF SOMEDAY, Dianne Dixon’s second novel, which releases on September 3rd and has received lots of early buzz. I read it a few weeks ago and recently had a conversation about the ending (which I did not guess correctly) with a friend who also had read it. People are really buzzing about this title! If you’d like to be one of the 100 lucky readers who will win an advance copy of the book, please fill out this form by Thursday, July 11th at noon ET.

But that's not all! There are two contests currently running on the site featuring recent releases from the publisher Harlequin MIRA. We're giving 20 readers the opportunity to win a copy of SOMEWHERE BETWEEN LUCK AND TRUST by Emilie Richards. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, July 9th at noon ET. We also have 25 copies of THE MOURNING HOURS by Paula Treick DeBoard to give away to readers. You can enter by filling out this form before our deadline of Friday, July 12th at noon ET.

In this year’s Summer Reading Feature, we’re running contests on select days through July 31st where we’re giving away books that we think will be great summer reads. We took a break from posting contests this week as we know lots of you have travel and family plans during the long 4th of July weekend. We’ll be back next week with giveaways for the aforementioned WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD by Susan Crandall and SIGNED copies of LADIES’ NIGHT by Mary Kay Andrews. 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!

Be sure to answer our poll, which will be up until Friday, July 12th, as we’re curious about the social media platforms you use. Are you on Facebook? Twitter? Pinterest? Please let us know by answering our questions here.

We also continue our current Word of Mouth contest. Let us know the books that you’ve read by Friday, July 12th at noon ET, and you’ll have the opportunity to win a copy of the aforementioned UNSEEN by Karin Slaughter, along with BEAUTIFUL DAY by Elin Hilderbrand and SISTERLAND by Curtis Sittenfeld.

Important Note: If all goes as planned, we will be doing a back-end update to our Bookreporter.com site on Monday the 8th. I am too wary to do it when we are out for the holiday! As a result, contest and poll entries may be unavailable for a few hours. Our apologies for any inconvenience. The plan here is to speed up the site, which is running slower than we would like. Mouses crossed on this one!

Next weekend is ThrillerFest, the annual convention for thriller writers, which once again will be held in New York City. Looking forward to seeing writer pals there. But now, back to the loooooong weekend.

Hope you are enjoying celebrating wherever you are….read on….

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

UNSEEN by Karin Slaughter (Thriller)
Will Trent is a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent whose latest case has him posing as Bill Black, a scary ex-con who rides a motorcycle around Macon, Georgia, and trails an air of violence wherever he goes. The cover has worked, and he has caught the eye of a wiry little drug dealer who thinks he might be a useful ally. But undercover and cut off from the support of the woman he loves, Sara Linton, Will finds his demons catching up with him. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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

THE RECIPE BOX by Sandra Lee (Fiction)
Grace D’Angelo is a woman at her wits' end, barely managing her job, her rebellious teenager, and the horrifying fact that her lifelong best friend, Leeza, is dying of cancer. When Leeza succumbs to her illness, Grace realizes she must take drastic action to get her life back on track and repair her most precious relationships. She and her daughter move back to their hometown, where she comes to terms with the past, rediscovers the healing power of cooking, and connects with friends old and new. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Sandra Lee’s bio.
-Click here to see the 25 winners who were selected to read and comment on the book.
-Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight.

TELL ME by Lisa Jackson (Thriller)
When convicted murderer and Southern stunner Blondell O'Henry may be released from prison due to new evidence in her 20-year-old case, it's up to newspaper reporter and true-crime author Nikki Gillette to get to the bottom of this mystery that not only shook her hometown of Savannah, but took her best friend away from her as well. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

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

WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD by Susan Crandall (Historical Fiction)
Susan Crandall’s latest novel takes place in the summer of 1963 and introduces readers to nine-year-old Starla Claudelle, who runs away from home to be with her mother in Nashville and is offered a ride by a black woman who is traveling with a white baby. As the two unlikely companions make their long and sometimes dangerous journey, Starla’s eyes are opened to the harsh realities of 1963 southern segregation. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for advance readers' comments.

We have 25 copies of LETTERS FROM SKYE by Jessica Brockmole, which releases on July 9th, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, July 8th at noon ET.

LETTERS FROM SKYE by Jessica Brockmole (Historical Fiction)
March 1912: Twenty-four-year-old Elspeth Dunn, a published poet, has never seen the world beyond her home on Scotland’s remote Isle of Skye. So she is astonished when her first fan letter arrives, from a college student, David Graham, in far-away America. As the two strike up a correspondence --- sharing their favorite books, wildest hopes and deepest secrets --- their exchanges blossom into friendship, and eventually into love. But as World War I engulfs Europe and David volunteers as an ambulance driver on the Western front, Elspeth can only wait for him on Skye, hoping he’ll survive.

June 1940: At the start of World War II, Elspeth’s daughter, Margaret, has fallen for a pilot in the Royal Air Force. Her mother warns her against seeking love in wartime, an admonition Margaret doesn’t understand. Then, after a bomb rocks Elspeth’s house, and letters that were hidden in a wall come raining down, Elspeth disappears. Only a single letter remains as a clue to Elspeth’s whereabouts. As Margaret sets out to discover where her mother has gone, she must also face the truth of what happened to her family long ago.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to watch the book trailer.
-Click here to read Jessica Brockmole’s bio.
-Click here to visit Jessica Brockmole’s official website.
-Connect with Jessica Brockmole on Facebook and Twitter.

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

THE CASUAL VACANCY by J. K. Rowling (Fiction)
When Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly in his early 40s, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. What lies behind Pagford’s pretty façade is a town at war. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town’s council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

THE INN AT ROSE HARBOR by Debbie Macomber (Fiction)
Jo Marie Rose arrives in the Pacific Northwest town of Cedar Cove seeking peace and a fresh start after the death of her husband. She purchases a local bed-and-breakfast, yet the inn holds more surprises than Jo Marie can imagine. Joshua Weaver, who has come to care for his ailing stepfather, and Abby Kincaid, who is back in town for her brother's wedding, are among the cast of characters who find love, forgiveness and renewal behind the doors of the Rose Harbor Inn.

THE GOOD DREAM by Donna VanLiere (Fiction)
Ever since Ivorie Walker’s parents passed away, she has hidden her loneliness behind a fierce independence and good humor. When a feral, dirty-faced boy steals from her vegetable garden, Ivorie steps out of her comfort zone to uncover answers about him and unleashes a firestorm in the town --- a place where secrets stay secret.

THE OTHER WOMAN by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Thriller)
Jane Ryland, once a rising star in television news, now finds herself tracking down a candidate’s secret mistress just days before a pivotal Senate election. Meanwhile, Detective Jake Brogan is investigating a possible serial killer. As the body count rises and the election looms closer, it becomes clear to Jane and Jake that their cases are connected…and that they may be facing a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to silence a scandal.

TRUST YOUR EYES by Linwood Barclay (Thriller)
Thomas Kilbride is a map-obsessed schizophrenic so affected that he rarely leaves the self-imposed bastion of his bedroom. But with a computer program called Whirl360.com, he travels the world while never so much as stepping out the door. Then he sees something that anyone else might have stumbled upon --- but has not --- in a street view of downtown New York City: an image in a window. An image that looks like a woman being murdered.

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

-Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of July 1st, July 8th, July 15th, July 22nd and July 29th.

Summer is here! 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
• BIG GIRL PANTIES by Stephanie Evanovich
• 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
• LADIES' NIGHT by Mary Kay Andrews
• 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, July 9th at noon ET. Our featured titles will be LADIES' NIGHT by Mary Kay Andrews and WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD by Susan Crandall.

THE HEIST by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (Adventure/Humor)
FBI Special Agent Kate Winslow is determined to put the slippery conman known as Danny Cole behind bars. But Danny is quick-witted, charming and distractingly good looking, and is known the world over for being able to pull off some of the most dangerous, high-profile cons with seeming ease. In a dark twist of fate, Kate discovers that her next mission just might include partnering up with her nemesis in the hunt to take down big-league crime. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

THE BAT: The First Inspector Harry Hole Novel by Jo Nesbo (Mystery/Thriller)
Inspector Harry Hole of the Oslo Crime Squad is dispatched to Sydney to observe a murder case. The victim is a 23-year-old Norwegian woman who is a minor celebrity back home. Never one to sit on the sidelines, Harry befriends the lead detectives and a witness. They discover that this is only one in a string of unsolved murders, and the pattern points to a psychopath working his way across the country. Harry fears that no one is safe, least of all those investigating the case. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE EXECUTION OF NOA P. SINGLETON by Elizabeth L. Silver (Psychological Suspense)
Noa P. Singleton was found guilty of first-degree murder 10 years ago. Now, just six months away from her execution date, Noa is visited by Marlene Dixon, an attorney who is also the heartbroken mother of the woman Noa was imprisoned for killing. She tells Noa that she has had a change of heart and will do everything in her power to convince the governor to commute the sentence to life in prison -- if Noa will finally reveal what led her to commit her crime. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

REVOLUTIONARY SUMMER: The Birth of American Independence by Joseph J. Ellis (History)
While the 13 colonies came together in 1776 and agreed to secede from the British Empire, the British were dispatching the largest armada ever to cross the Atlantic to crush the rebellion in the cradle. The Continental Congress and the Continental Army were forced to make decisions on the run, improvising as history congealed around them. In REVOLUTIONARY SUMMER, Joseph J. Ellis meticulously examines the most influential figures in this propitious moment. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

THE FARAWAY NEARBY by Rebecca Solnit (Literary Criticism/Memoir)
Rebecca Solnit explores the ways we make our lives out of stories, and how we are connected by empathy, by narrative, by imagination. In the course of unpacking some of her own stories --- of her mother and her decline from memory loss, of a trip to Iceland, of an illness --- Solnit revisits fairy tales and entertains other stories. Woven together, these stories create a map that charts the boundaries and territories of storytelling, reframing who each of us is and how we might tell our story. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.

THE FIRE WITNESS by Lars Kepler (Mystery/Thriller)
Flora Hansen calls herself a medium and makes a living by pretending to commune with the dead. But after a gruesome murder at a rural home for wayward girls, Hansen begins to suffer visions that are all too real. The only member of the police force who believes her is Detective Inspector Joona Linna. The case seems obvious at first, but as Linna refuses to accept easy answers, his search leads him into darker, more violent territory, and finally to a shocking confrontation with a figure from his past. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE SPY WHO LOVED: The Secrets and Lives of Christine Granville by Clare Mulley (Biography)
In June 1952, Christine Granville was murdered by an obsessed colleague. That she died young was perhaps unsurprising; that she had survived the Second World War was remarkable. The daughter of a feckless Polish aristocrat and his wealthy Jewish wife, Granville would become one of Britain’s most daring and highly decorated special agents. In THE SPY WHO LOVED, Clare Mulley tells the extraordinary history of this charismatic, difficult, fearless, and altogether extraordinary woman. Reviewed by Rebecca Kilberg.

DEAD, WHITE, AND BLUE: A Death on Demand Mystery by Carolyn Hart (Mystery)
Summer brings good business to Annie Darling’s mystery bookstore, Death on Demand, as tourists swarm in, searching for the latest beach read. But July 4th brings its own mystery as first one and then another islander disappears. Annie and her husband, Max, soon find themselves following a twisted trail marked by adultery, blackmail and betrayal as they pursue a cold-blooded killer in the dog days of summer. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

ITALIAN WAYS: On and Off the Rails from Milan to Palermo by Tim Parks (Travel)
In his first Italian travelogue in a decade, Tim Parks delivers a charming and funny portrait of Italian ways by riding its trains from Verona to Milan, Rome to Palermo, and right down to the heel of Italy. Through memorable encounters with ordinary Italians, Parks captures what makes Italian life distinctive. He also explores how trains helped build Italy and how their development reflects Italians’ sense of themselves. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

NORWEGIAN BY NIGHT by Derek Miller (Thriller)
Home alone one morning, widow Sheldon Horowitz witnesses a dispute between the woman who lives upstairs and an aggressive stranger. When events turn dire, Sheldon seizes and shields the neighbor’s young son from the violence, and they flee the scene. But old age and circumstances are altering Sheldon’s experience of time and memory. He is haunted by dreams of his son Saul’s life and by guilt over his death. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

THE ABOMINATION: Book One of the Carnivia Trilogy by Jonathan Holt (Mystery/Thriller)
By the stunning white dome of one of Venice’s grandest landmarks, a body with two slugs in the back of the head has been pulled from the icy waters. The victim is a woman, dressed in the sacred robes of a Catholic priest --- a desecration that becomes known as the Abomination. Working her first murder case, Captain Kat Tapo embarks on a trail that proves as elusive and complicated as the city’s labyrinthine backstreets. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

Poll:

We would like to know what social media platforms you use.

Are you on Facebook?
Yes, and I am active.
Yes, but I do not spend much time there.
I was, but I am not anymore.
No, but I am interested in this.
I am not interested in this.

Are you on Twitter?
Yes, I am active and use all Twitter functions
Yes, but I am only active at following and reading.
Yes, but I am not on that often.
I was, but I am not anymore.
No, but I am interested in this.
I am not interested in this.

Are you on Pinterest?
Yes, I am active and use all Pinterest functions.
Yes, but I am only active at following and reading.
Yes, but I am not on that often.
I was, but I am not anymore.
No, but I am interested in this.
I am not interested in this.

-Click here to answer the poll.

Word of Mouth:

Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from June 21st to July 12th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of BEAUTIFUL DAY by Elin Hilderbrand, SISTERLAND by Curtis Sittenfeld and UNSEEN by Karin Slaughter.

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.

-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see readers' comments from previous contest periods, click here.