 |
|
Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
January 24, 2014 |
|
|
|
|
Greetings from Seattle
|
I have only been to Seattle once before, but I love this city so much and will be back when I have more time to explore it. I flew in Monday evening, beating the snow and cold out of New York (not the first time I have done that!) so I could enjoy Tuesday before the opening event that evening. I took the ferry over to Bainbridge Island, where I met up with Kristin Hannah and had a lovely lunch while we talked about books, writing and publishing, as well as kids and life. After lunch we strolled over to the Eagle Harbor Book Company, where we caught up with a number of booksellers who were touring various bookstores in the Seattle area on a busman’s holiday. They loved meeting Kristin and having the opportunity to speak with her. Above you can see a photo of her with Victoria, who is the store’s Events Coordinator.
From there I shopped at Churchmouse Yarns & Teas, buying some luscious yarns and teas, including some cashmeres that were exclusive to the store. Going to this yarn shop is like making a pilgrimage. Taking the ferry back, I headed to a second yarn shop, So Much Yarn, where I loved seeing some of my favorite yarns in some spectacular colors --- and yes, I could not resist the temptation to buy. I have a total weakness for yarn. I cannot wait to have some time to stop and knit!
The American Booksellers Association’s 9th Winter Institute opened with a standing-room only party at the Elliott Bay Bookstore where booksellers, authors and publishers smiled and celebrated books and reading. I waved to many as it was tough to move around, noting who in town I wanted to catch up with. I had a lovely dinner with Bronwen Hruska and the team from Soho Press and their authors. Author dinners are fun as various authors rotate around to share more about their books and their back stories. Bronwen, an author in her own right, wrote ACCELERATED, which we featured on ReadingGroupGuides.com last year.
Wednesday opened with a presentation by Dan Heath, who, with his brother Chip, wrote DECISIVE. I am not a huge reader of business books; I am more a “learn by the doing and don’t make the same mistake twice” kind of person. But I found myself taking endless notes on what inhibits our making good decisions and how to overcome this. For humor, there was a Magic 8 Ball available in the book room as a promo device with catchphrases from the book. When in doubt, shaking can be employed!
A huge part of this conference is hearing from reps from various publishers who are sharing their selections for booksellers to buy --- and for us to review. I heard from 12 publishers, made tons of notes, and then stopped by the “Galley Room” to select titles that I had heard about. I could tell some were destined to be winners as they had dwindled piles or already were gone when I was perusing the selections. Lots of great reading to look forward to!
Another part of the conference that I love is exchanging ideas with independent booksellers. Some are old friends while others are new acquaintances. Bonding over a favorite book or author is a great icebreaker. And as they run small companies like mine, there are terrific business ideas to be shared as well. I have lots of notes on features I want to do, all of which came up just for having time to think and not just do, which is what happens in the office.
Yesterday morning opened with a presentation by some of the 62 authors involved in Seattle7Writers.org. This group, founded over wine by Garth Stein and Jennie Shortridge about five years ago, has grown and thrived. Through interesting events, they have raised more than $50,000 for literacy charities in the Seattle area. Their convivial spirit was both engaging and motivating. Seattle has a very strong book culture with a number of indie stores and lots of energy surrounding them. Besides Garth and Jennie, presenters included Elizabeth George, Carol Cassella, Deb Caletti and Tara Conklin. Sadly, Erik Larson, who I had hoped to meet, had the flu and was not there. We will share more on this group in the weeks to come.
Yesterday afternoon, I ducked out of the conference to get caught up with Robert Dugoni; we met at the Macrina Bakery (and oh how I wish I could have packed up some bread or pastries to bring home with me). To get there, I passed THE stadium…you know, the one where the Seahawks play. It was very quiet; I was expecting the place still to be shaking. All around town, there is lots of blue and green. The yarn shop had patterns for knitting hats and scarves in Seahawks colors, and buildings all around town have #12 hanging from them celebrating the 12th man, as the fans here are known. Lots of fun! One nice thing about having author friends in various cities is that they introduce me to local spots that I would not want to miss.
This afternoon, I spent time exploring the city with the aforementioned Carol Cassella, whose upcoming novel GEMINI I am just crazy about; it will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. You can see a photo of Carol and me above that was snapped after the Seattle7 event. Featured on the site now is a giveaway for GEMINI, Carol’s forthcoming novel in which ICU doctor Charlotte Reese finds her morals challenged when an unconscious Jane Doe is placed in her care. Who is this woman? Why will no one claim her? And who should decide her fate if she never regains consciousness? The book doesn’t release until March 4th, but we’re giving 50 readers a chance to win an advance copy. All you have to do is fill out this form by Friday, January 31st at noon ET.
Last night, there was a HUGE author signing with more than 50 authors. I meandered from table to table chatting with the authors about their work and picking up galleys. I am glad I used frequent flyer miles to upgrade my flight back so I can pack up these books and bring them with me. I easily would be over the usual 50-lb. limit.
Following that signing (yes, these days are loooooooooong, folks), I went on to a dinner with Craig Popelars and the team from Algonquin, along with three of their authors: Krista Bremer (MY ACCIDENTAL JIHAD), James Klise (THE ART OF SECRETS) and Gabrielle Zevin (THE STORIED LIFE OF A. J. FIKRY). I am wild wild wild about Gabrielle’s THE STORIED LIFE OF A. J. FIKRY, a brilliantly fun novel that has as its protagonist a charming indie bookseller named A. J. (Yes, you can well imagine how the crowd here loves this book!) I have been reading it nights and mornings. On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means. It will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection after its April 1st release. For a comp, I am using THE ROSIE PROJECT by Graeme Simsion, which also had a quirky charming character as its protagonist.
Now on to this week’s site news….
In stores this week is UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY, the long-awaited new novel from Nancy Horan, whose debut LOVING FRANK was a widely praised bestseller and book-club favorite when it released in 2007. This time, Nancy focuses on the sweeping love story of legendary writer Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife, Fanny. An unlikely pairing at first, the two soon find themselves in a romance that spans decades and continents. Bronwyn Miller has our review and calls it “another engrossing addition to the canon of the recent ‘women behind the powerful, artistic men’ historical novels we’ve seen lately, including Horan’s own LOVING FRANK, as well as THE PARIS WIFE, THE AVIATOR’S WIFE and Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald.” Please also check out this wonderful interview with Nancy, where she offers plenty of insights into the writing of the book, and click here for the reading group guide. Nancy has delivered another literary treat, which clearly is well-researched and has meticulous period details.
We also got news yesterday that the “Today Show” announced that UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY is their next book club pick. Click here for all the details and here for a video clip of the announcement. I was so happy to hear this news! I personally feel that this is their best book pick to date; the others were just not very strong discussion titles, while this one really is.
Also releasing this week is THE VANISHING, Wendy Webb’s new novel, which tells the story of a young woman named Julia, who is enticed with a mysterious job offer as a companion to an aging horror author long believed to be dead. When she takes the position and moves to Havenwood, the large manor in the wilds of Michigan where the author resides, she learns that its walls are filled with secrets, and it quickly becomes clear that Julia is unaware of just what she’s signed up for. Reviewer Sarah Rachel Egelman proclaims the book to be “an entertaining read, written with both a sense of horror and a sense of fun. It is the perfect story for stormy weather and dark and chilly nights!” Sarah also had the opportunity to interview Wendy about her latest paranormal mystery/suspense tale, and you can read their conversation here. It’s been such fun watching Wendy’s writing evolve and get better and better.
The Inspector Ian Rutledge series continues with its 16th installment, HUNTING SHADOWS, by the mother-and-son writing team known as Charles Todd. A society wedding becomes a crime scene when a man is murdered. After another body is found, the baffled local constabulary turns to Scotland Yard. Though the second crime had a witness, her description of the killer is so strange it’s unbelievable. In going over the details of the case, Inspector Ian Rutledge is reminded of a dark episode he witnessed in the war. To stop a murderer, will the ethical detective choose to follow the letter --- or the spirit --- of the law? Joe Hartlaub has this to say in his review: “Those who are fans of such television series as ‘Downton Abbey’ will find much to love in this series, where the quiet undercurrent of class and station in early 20th-century English society plays a role in ill motives and unintended consequences.” I will be having dinner with Caroline Todd on Sunday night, which I’m very much looking forward to!
Our Ninth Annual Valentine’s Day contest is live! We’re giving five readers the opportunity to win 12 love-themed books (which you can see here), along with some delicious Ghirardelli chocolates. All you have to do is fill out this form by Tuesday, February 11th at noon ET for your chance to win this irresistible prize package.
THE SWISS AFFAIR by Emylia Hall (author of the highly acclaimed THE BOOK OF SUMMERS) is the newest book in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. For Hadley Dunn, life has been predictable and uneventful. But that’s before she spends her second year of college abroad in Lausanne, a glamorous Swiss city on the shores of Lake Geneva. Lausanne is imbued with the boundless sense of freedom Hadley has been seeking, and it is here she meets Kristina, a beautiful but mysterious Danish girl. The two bond quickly, but as the first snows of winter arrive, tragedy strikes. We have 25 copies of THE SWISS AFFAIR, which releases on January 28th, to give away to those who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, February 6th at noon ET.
Continuing this week is our contest for SOMERSET, a featured title in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. In this prequel to Leila Meacham’s 2010 debut novel, ROSES, we begin in the antebellum South on Plantation Alley in South Carolina, where Silas Toliver, deprived of his inheritance, joins up with his best friend Jeremy Warwick to plan a wagon train expedition to the "black waxy" promise of a new territory called Texas. Slavery, westward expansion, abolition, the Civil War, love, marriage, friendship, tragedy and triumph are all here in abundance. We have 35 copies of the book to give away to those who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, January 30th at noon ET.
We also have one week left in our contest for SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by debut novelist Nickolas Butler. Four friends are brought together for a wedding, and the town of Little Wing seems even smaller than before. While lifelong bonds are still strong, there are stresses --- between the friends, between husbands and wives. There will be heartbreak, but there will also be hope, healing, even heroism as these memorable people learn the true meaning of adult friendship and love. The book doesn’t release until March 11th, but we’re giving 100(!) readers the opportunity to win an advance copy and submit their comments about it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, January 30th at noon ET. I had the pleasure of meeting Nickolas today, and he was so excited about the book's upcoming publication. It is also worth mentioning that SHOTGUN LOVESONGS is an ABA Indies Introduce pick, a debut that the American Booksellers Association has selected for special attention. We will have more on these titles in the weeks ahead.
We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, reviews that we’ve posted on our Teenreads.com site. This month’s selections are THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY by Laurie Halse Anderson and THIS STAR WON'T GO OUT: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl. Click here to see more YA books we recommend you read.
A few weeks ago, I was talking to a costume jewelry designer, and she mentioned how off her business has been at retail since people are not going to stores --- and buying her products are impulse purchases. This leads me to this week’s poll question: Approximately what percentage of all your shopping is done online, and how much of your book buying takes place online? We want to hear from you!
Our previous poll asked which social networks (if any) influence your purchasing of books. 52% said that social media does not influence you to buy books, while 42% of you said Goodreads and 21% mentioned Facebook. Click here for all the results. VERY interesting to see this in our go go go social media age where we are led to believe that social media is THE driver of decision making.
We also have a new Word of Mouth contest this week. Let us know what you’ve read by Friday, February 7th at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win these three books: THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley, GLITTER AND GLUE: A Memoir by Kelly Corrigan, and STILL LIFE WITH BREAD CRUMBS by Anna Quindlen.
This coming Monday night, January 27th, Dara Horn, author of A GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED, will be speaking in New York along with curator Jacob Wisse, in conjunction with Yeshiva University Museum’s exhibit of the ark door from the Cairo Genizah synagogue and actual Genizah manuscripts, including ones written by Maimonides. If you’d like to learn more about this special event, click here for all the info.
Before heading to Seattle last weekend, I saw a terrific piece by Joyce Maynard in Parade magazine where she talked about teaching the stars of Labor Day (opening on January 31st) how to make a pie. That would be Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet. Here’s a link to the piece, which also has a link to a video.
I watched and tried my own pie crust baking skills on Sunday. I made four tartines. My crust is not as flaky as I would have liked; I made the “too much water” mistake on the second splash into the bowl, but loved her idea of using sparkling water, which I did. I will work on this a bit more….as she made it a lot more fun than it had felt in the past, and I confess that I DO buy those frozen crusts that she makes sound sooo nasty. She also wrote this on Facebook yesterday: “For the first time in 41 years, I'm on the New York Times bestseller list (for the week of Feb 2). My novel LABOR DAY is #15 for paperback fiction, #22 in ebook fiction. And from all over the country, bakers (old and new) are emailing me pictures of their pies.” I did not send mine, but love that others did.
Tomorrow morning I am on a 7am flight (I keep saying to myself that it will be 10am in NY) to fly back home for a night before I head to Philadelphia for the American Library Association’s Midwinter Conference for Sunday and Monday. Sunday night I am having dinner with Wiley Cash (THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY), Christina Baker Kline (ORPHAN TRAIN), the aforementioned Caroline Todd (HUNTING SHADOWS), Yannick Murphy (THIS IS THE WATER) and Darragh McKeon (ALL THAT IS SOLID MELTS INTO AIR). On Monday, I am attending a tea where Sue Monk Kidd, Laura Lippman, Cristina Henriquez, Alice Greenway and the aforementioned Gabrielle Zevin will be speaking. It’s a really author-packed couple of days, and I will have lots more to share next week.
I look forward to a loooong flight tomorrow for reading, knitting and relaxing before the next part of this trip. You have a great weekend. Here’s to finding something wonderful to read in this week’s newsletter.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com) |
|
|
|
An Interview with Nancy Horan, Author of UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY --- the Latest TODAY Book Club Pick
|
Journalist Nancy Horan follows up her New York Times bestselling debut, LOVING FRANK, with a much-anticipated second novel, UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY. It tells the improbable love story of Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson --- author of TREASURE ISLAND and THE STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE --- and his tempestuous American wife, Fanny. In this interview, Horan opens up about what drew her to the Stevensons (who she knew immediately would be “good company”), including their unconventional romance and their loyalty to one another despite less than accommodating circumstances. She also talks about how Fanny and Louis (as friends called Stevenson) shaped each other’s artistic lives, as well as what she hopes readers will take away from UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY.
UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY by Nancy Horan (Historical Romance)
At the age of 35, Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne has left her philandering husband in San Francisco to set sail for Belgium --- with her three children and nanny in tow --- to study art. Not long after her arrival, tragedy strikes, and Fanny and her children repair to a quiet artists’ colony in France where she can recuperate. Emerging from a deep sorrow, she meets Robert Louis Stevenson, and the two begin a fierce love affair that spans the decades and the globe. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Nancy Horan's bio.
-Click here to see the TODAY Book Club Pick announcement.
-Click here to read more in our Historical Fiction Author Spotlight.
|
|
Click here to read the interview. |
|
|
|
Bookreporter.com Talks to Wendy Webb, Author of THE VANISHING
|
 |
Wendy Webb’s first two books, THE TALE OF HALCYON CRANE and THE FATE OF MERCY ALBAN, were both winners of the Minnesota Book Award for genre fiction. Now she follows up these successes with THE VANISHING, a gothic horror tale about a woman who accepts a job offer that she begins to suspect is too good to be true. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Sarah Rachel Egelman, Webb talks about what inspired the old haunted house (including “Downton Abbey” and séances gone wrong), which itself is almost a character in the novel. She also considers why people are so intrigued by horror stories and reveals some of her own favorites.
THE VANISHING by Wendy Webb (Gothic Thriller)
Just as Julia Bishop’s life is collapsing around her, a stranger appears on her doorstep with an intriguing job offer --- he asks Julia to be a companion for his elderly mother, the famous and rather eccentric horror novelist Amaris Sinclair, whom Julia has always admired...and who the whole world thinks is dead. But when she arrives at Havenwood, the Sinclairs’ magnificent, centuries-old estate, she begins to suspect her too-good-to-be-true job offer is exactly that. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Wendy Webb's bio.
-Visit Wendy Webb's official website and blog.
-Connect with Wendy Webb on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
|
|
Click here to read our interview. |
|
|
|
Bookreporter.com's Ninth Annual Valentine's Day Contest: Enter to Win Books and Sweet Treats for Yourself or Your Valentine!
|
Valentine's Day is only a few heartbeats away. We can't think of a better way to celebrate this special day than to cuddle up with your loved one...and a good book, of course! We're giving readers the chance to win one of our five Bookreporter.com Valentine's Day prize packages, which includes one copy of each of our featured books and some delicious Ghirardelli chocolate. Enter between now and Tuesday, February 11th at noon ET for your opportunity to be a lucky (and beloved!) winner. If you're feeling frisky, share with us your all-time book character crush. Don't be shy, we all got 'em! We'll post your literary loves and lusts --- along with the five winners --- on Valentine's Day, so please be on the lookout!
Our featured Valentine’s Day titles are:
|
|
Click here to enter the contest and see our featured books. |
|
|
|
New Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: THE SWISS AFFAIR by Emylia Hall
|
We have 25 copies of THE SWISS AFFAIR by Emylia Hall, which releases on January 28th, 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, February 6th at noon ET.
THE SWISS AFFAIR by Emylia Hall (Fiction)
For Hadley Dunn, life has been predictable and uneventful. But that is before she spends her second year of college abroad in Lausanne, a glamorous Swiss city on the shores of Lake Geneva. Lausanne is imbued with the boundless sense of freedom Hadley has been seeking, and it is here she meets Kristina, a beautiful but mysterious Danish girl. The two bond quickly, but as the first snows of winter arrive, tragedy strikes.
Driven by guilt and haunted by suspicion, Hadley resolves to find the truth about what really happened that night, and so begins a search that will consume her, the city she loves, and the lives of two very different men. Set against the backdrop of a uniquely captivating city, THE SWISS AFFAIR is an evocative portrayal of a journey of discovery and a compelling exploration of how our connections --- with people, with places --- make us who we are.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Emylia Hall's bio.
-Visit Emylia Hall's official website and blog.
-Connect with Emylia Hall on Facebook and Twitter.
|
|
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
|
Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: SOMERSET by Leila Meacham
|
We have 35 copies of SOMERSET by Leila Meacham, which releases on February 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, January 30th at noon ET.
SOMERSET by Leila Meacham (Historical Fiction)
One hundred fifty years of ROSES' Tolivers, Warwicks and DuMonts! We begin in the antebellum South on Plantation Alley in South Carolina, where Silas Toliver, deprived of his inheritance, joins up with his best friend Jeremy Warwick to plan a wagon train expedition to the "black waxy" promise of a new territory called Texas. Slavery, westward expansion, abolition, the Civil War, love, marriage, friendship, tragedy and triumph --- all the ingredients (and much more) that made so many love ROSES so much --- are here in abundance.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Leila Meacham's bio.
-Click here to connect with Leila Meacham on Facebook.
|
|
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
|
Special Contest: Win a Copy of SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler
|
We are celebrating the March 11th release of SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler with a special contest that will give 100 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book and submit their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, January 30th at noon ET.
SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler (Fiction)
Hank, Leland, Kip and Ronny were all born and raised in the same Wisconsin town --- Little Wing --- and are now coming into their own (or not) as husbands and fathers. One of them never left, still farming the family's land that's been tilled for generations. Others did leave, went farther afield to make good, with varying degrees of success; as a rock star, commodities trader, rodeo stud. And seamlessly woven into their patchwork is Beth, whose presence among them --- both then and now --- fuels the kind of passion one comes to expect of lovesongs and rivalries.
Now all four are home, in hopes of finding what could be real purchase in the world. The result is a shared memory only half-recreated, riddled with culture clashes between people who desperately wish to see themselves as the unified tribe they remember, but are confronted with how things have, in fact, changed.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Nickolas Butler's bio.
|
|
Click here to enter the contest. |
|
Now in Stores: MRS. LINCOLN'S RIVAL by Jennifer Chiaverini
|
MRS. LINCOLN'S RIVAL by Jennifer Chiaverini (Historical Fiction)
When charming Kate Chase Sprague accompanied her father, Ohio politician Salmon P. Chase, to Washington, D.C. in 1861, she found that, rather than becoming a friend and compatriot of the First Lady's as she had anticipated, she immediately became embroiled in a long-lasting, notorious rivalry with Mrs. Lincoln due to the First Lady's jealousy of her youth, beauty and social skills. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
-Click here to read more about the book.
|
|
Click here to read a review. |
|
Now in Stores: LITTLE FAILURE by Gary Shteyngart
|
LITTLE FAILURE: A Memoir by Gary Shteyngart (Memoir)
After three acclaimed novels, Gary Shteyngart turns to memoir in a candid, witty and deeply poignant account of his life so far. Swinging between a Soviet home life and American aspirations, Shteyngart found himself living in two contradictory worlds, all the while wishing that he could find a real home in one. And somebody to love him. And somebody to lend him 69 cents for a McDonald’s hamburger. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
-Click here to read more about the book.
|
|
Click here to read a review. |
|
Now in Stores: LOST LAKE by Sarah Addison Allen
|
LOST LAKE by Sarah Addison Allen (Fiction)
Lost Lake is about to slip into Eby Pim’s past. All that’s left is a once-charming collection of lakeside cabins succumbing to the Southern Georgia heat and damp, and an assortment of faithful misfits drawn back to Lost Lake year after year by their own unspoken dreams and desires. It’s a lot, but not enough to keep Eby from relinquishing Lost Lake to a developer with cash in hand, and calling this her final summer at the lake. Until one last chance at family knocks on her door. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
-Click here to read more about the book.
|
|
Click here to read a review. |
|
Now in Stores: HUNTING SHADOWS by Charles Todd
|
HUNTING SHADOWS: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery by Charles Todd (Historical Mystery)
A society wedding becomes a crime scene when a man is murdered. After another body is found, the baffled local constabulary turns to Scotland Yard. Though the second crime had a witness, her description of the killer is so strange it’s unbelievable. In going over the details of the case, Inspector Ian Rutledge is reminded of a dark episode he witnessed in the war. To stop a murderer, will the ethical detective choose to follow the letter --- or the spirit --- of the law? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
|
|
Click here to read a review. |
|
|
|
More Reviews This Week
|
|
ORFEO by Richard Powers (Fiction)
Peter Els is a retired music professor with a unique hobby: He has set up a microbiology lab in his home to find music in the modified DNA of the bacterium Serratia marcescens. When Federal agents find out about his laboratory, they suspect he may be a bioterrorist. ORFEO is the portrait of a man so obsessed by the need to create that he’ll sacrifice just about everything for the sake of his quest. Reviewed by Michael Magras.
PANDEMIC by Scott Sigler (Horror/Thriller)
INFECTED shocked readers with a visceral, up-close account of physical metamorphosis and one man’s desperate fight for sanity and survival. The sequel, CONTAGIOUS, let the reader experience the frantic national response to this growing cataclysm. And now in PANDEMIC, the entire human race balances on the razor’s edge of annihilation, beset by an enemy that turns our own bodies against us, changing normal people into psychopaths or transforming them into nightmares. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
WORTHY BROWN'S DAUGHTER by Phillip Margolin (Historical Thriller)
One of a handful of lawyers in the new state of Oregon, recently widowed Matthew Penny agrees to help Worthy Brown, a newly freed slave, rescue his 15-year-old daughter, Roxanne, from their former master, a powerful Portland lawyer. Worthy's lawsuit sets in motion events that lead to Worthy's arrest for murder and create an agonizing moral dilemma that could send either Worthy or Matthew to the hangman. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC: A Piper Donovan Mystery by Mary Jane Clark (Mystery)
Piper Donovan has barely arrived in New Orleans to perfect her pastry skills at a renowned French Quarter bakery when a ghastly murder rocks the magical city. Intrigued by the case, Piper can’t help but look for the “Hoodoo Killer” among the faces around her. When the murderer strikes again, she thinks she can unmask the killer. But Piper will have to conjure up some old black magic of her own if she hopes to live long enough to reveal the truth. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
THE GUTS by Roddy Doyle (Fiction/Humor)
In the 1980s Jimmy Rabbitte formed the Commitments, a ragtag, blue-collar collective of Irish youths determined to bring the soul music stylings of James Brown and Percy Sledge to Dublin. These days, the almost-50-year-old Jimmy has a loving wife, four kids, and a recent cancer diagnosis that leaves him feeling shattered and frightened. As he battles his illness on his path through Dublin, Jimmy manages to reconnect with his own past. Reviewed by John Maher.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO SEE: Dispatches from the World of the Blind by Rosemary Mahoney (Memoir)
Rosemary Mahoney tells the story of Braille Without Borders, the first school for the blind in Tibet, and of Sabriye Tenberken, the remarkable blind woman who founded the school. Fascinated and impressed by what she learned from the blind children of Tibet, Mahoney was moved to investigate further the cultural history of blindness. As part of her research, she spent three months teaching at Tenberken's international training center for blind adults in Kerala, India. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
LYDIA'S PARTY by Margaret Hawkins (Fiction)
In this page-turner that manages to be both charming and thought-provoking, Lydia is preparing for her annual Bleak Midwinter Bash. At this party, she and her closest female friends eat, drink and bond. This year, however, Lydia is also preparing to rock their world with an announcement that will change their lives forever. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
BAD WOLF by Nele Neuhaus (Mystery)
As two grisly murder cases collide, Inspectors Pia Kirchhoff and Oliver von Bodenstein dig deep into the past and underneath the veneer of bourgeois society to come up against a terrible secret that is about to impact their personal lives as well. In Nele Neuhaus's second U.S. publication of her popular series, tensions run high, and a complex and unpredictable plot propels her characters forward at breakneck speed. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
WHAT WE'VE LOST IS NOTHING by Rachel Louise Snyder (Fiction)
On a warm day in April, Mary Elizabeth McPherson skips school with her friend, Sofia. As the two experiment with a heavy dose of ecstasy in Mary Elizabeth’s dining room, a series of home invasions rocks their neighborhood. At first the community is determined to band together, but rising suspicions soon threaten to destroy the world they were attempting to create. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
NORTH OF BOSTON by Elisabeth Elo (Literary Thriller)
When the fishing boat Pirio Kasparov is on is rammed by a freighter, she finds herself abandoned in the North Atlantic. She survives nearly four hours in the water before being rescued by the Coast Guard. But the boat’s owner and her professional fisherman friend, Ned, is not so lucky. Compelled to look after Noah, the son of the late Ned, and her alcoholic prep school friend, Thomasina, Pirio can’t shake the lurking suspicion that the boat’s sinking --- and Ned’s death --- was no accident. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
|
|
|
|
Young Adult Books You Want to Read
|
Our company, The Book Report Network, has a number of websites about books and authors in addition to Bookreporter.com. Throughout the year, Bookreporter.com features adult books on Teenreads.com, our site for young adult readers, that we think will have definite appeal to a teen audience. In the spirit of sharing, we spotlight a selection of titles each month from Teenreads.com that we believe are great reads that you might enjoy.
Here are our latest featured titles:
THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY by Laurie Halse Anderson (Fiction)
Hayley Kincain and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since Iraq. Now they are staying in one place so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps she can have a normal life, put aside her own pain, even have a relationship. Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over?
THIS STAR WON'T GO OUT: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl by Esther Earl, Lori Earl and Wayne Earl, introduction by John Green (Memoir)
THIS STAR WON'T GO OUT is a collection of the journals, fiction, letters and sketches of the late Esther Grace Earl, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 16. Photographs and essays by family and friends will help to tell Esther’s story, along with an introduction by award-winning author John Green, who dedicated his #1 bestselling novel THE FAULT IN OUR STARS to her.
|
|
Click here for more young adult books we recommend you read. |
|
This Week's Poll: Online Shopping and Book Buying
|
Approximately what percentage of all of your shopping is done online?
None
10%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Approximately what percentage of your book buying takes place online (include eBooks and print books)?
None
10%
25%
50%
75%
100%
|
|
Click here to answer the poll. |
|
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You've Read --- and You Can Win THREE Books!
|
|
Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from January 24th to February 7th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley, GLITTER AND GLUE: A Memoir by Kelly Corrigan, and STILL LIFE WITH BREAD CRUMBS by Anna Quindlen.
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.
Also, 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.
One important technical note: If you're using an iPad or another iOS device to access the Word of Mouth page and you would like to enter the contest, you must wait for the page to fully load before you can rate your book. Only then will the stars be clickable.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
|
|
Click here to enter the contest. |
|
As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.
|
|
|
