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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
February 21, 2014 |
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Lacking Pioneer Woman Skills
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Looking at the weather forecast for today and tomorrow, I am seeing numbers with 5s in them. Two 5s as in 55! I like double 5s better than single 5s. It’s been a brutal lesson in math this winter, where days were measured in single digits while snowfalls were captured with double digits. The New York area does very poorly at passing for a ski area; there are no gondolas or lifts at the curbs! Yesterday I drove down the street to my parking garage near the office, and it was closed for plowing. Nice to see them doing this extra-special cleanup two days after the storm and a day before it warmed up. Right now, bets are on about how long the snow sticks around here. April 1st is the over/under date.
Last weekend, I got a fun photo from Melanie Benjamin, the author of THE AVIATOR'S WIFE, who was in Savannah for the Savannah Book Festival. Leopold's Ice Cream, a Savannah institution, re-names their ice cream flavors in honor of all the authors featured during the week of the Savannah Book Festival! Melanie’s was "The Aviator's Vanilla." You can see Melanie with her ice cream container above. I try to ration my own ice cream eating, and thus try to do “just a tablespoon” or a small Dixie cup-sized flavor. Last weekend, I tried Dulce de Leche, which was caramel-infused and just fabulous. It’s a nice way to get to try many different flavors as opposed to the time I bought a half gallon of peppermint in December and still was looking at it in August!
Speaking of sampling, I came across a trailer for Unbroken, the film that Angelina Jolie is adapting from the mega-bestselling book by Laura Hillenbrand. It will be in theaters at Christmas, and given that Louis Zamperini, the main character, was an Olympic athlete, it makes sense that this debuted during the Olympics. My friend T.K. has told me again and again that this is his favorite book of all time --- and everyone that he has shared it with has loved it the same way. He gave the trailer a thumbs up.
While we are not as glued to the Olympics as usual this year, they are playing in the background. Last night, I watched the skating and realized that after all these years I still have no idea what a salchow or a triple loop really is...or a lutz, no matter how much the announcers are torquing themselves up with glee about them. I will say that that young Russian skater’s spinning is amazing...spinning is something I understand!
Tom and Greg love to watch curling, which to me seems about as exciting as watching golf. Greg is taking part in a curling demonstration at a curling club in New Jersey tomorrow. If he likes it, he may take lessons. I am sure that there is a spike in traffic at the curling club every four years, much the same as we see on ski slopes and skating rinks. Greg is very practical about this. The way he sees it, he is too old to medal in skiing or skating, but in curling, he could have a chance given the ages of the competitors. I love the way he thinks! My husband would have wanted to race skeleton as he used to head down hills on his sled head first as a kid. Whenever I headed down headfirst, all I could think of was knocking out my teeth like the unfortunate child whom we all always heard about when we went sledding. Now I am not sure if this ever happened to any child, but our mothers had us so terrified with that image that none of us sled headfirst as that vision was racing in our heads. We also were told that other reckless sledders would go into trees and break limbs. We were not being groomed to luge!
As I am not Olympics bound, I have been reading. Wait, perhaps my sport is juggling books as I typically am reading two at the same time --- and I can keep the plots straight. The first is THE COLD SONG by Linn Ullmann. I was a guest at a luncheon this week where Linn and her book were introduced, and I started reading it that night. Set on the coast of Norway, it revolves around a couple with two children. She is a chef and restaurateur, while her husband is a famous novelist with writer’s block. One summer, a young girl named Milla is hired to babysit their children. One day, Milla disappears and her body is found years later. I am not far enough in to know much more, except that I want to keep reading; I am enjoying Linn's storytelling.
The other book is THE IDEA OF HIM by Holly Peterson, who wrote THE MANNY, a book I still remember fondly. THE IDEA OF HIM is a brisk page-turner about Allie Crawford, a public relations exec who aspires to be a screenwriter. She finds her husband in a compromising position at a party at her home, but so far it’s not what she thinks…it’s something more dangerous. Allie is a harried mother who for some reason reminds me a lot of Alicia Florrick on "The Good Wife," a show that I love.
In news this week, I am really happy to share that our Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book feature is back with our latest title, THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR by Joel Dicker, a debut novel that I talked about in the February 7th newsletter. This is the book that kept me from doing much else while I was reading it! I kept saying 10 more pages. It’s a literary thriller about the disappearance of a 15-year-old New Hampshire girl and, 33 years later, a young American writer’s determination to clear his mentor’s name --- and find the inspiration for his next bestseller. The book doesn’t release until May 27th, but we have 50 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by April 30th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 6th at noon ET.
For our Sneak Peek program, your commitment to participate is critical, so please only enter this contest if you truly will have time to read THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR and give us your feedback before our April 30th deadline. We take these project deadlines seriously. If not, don’t worry…we will have more opportunities like this in the future!
Alice Hoffman’s latest book, THE MUSEUM OF EXTRAORDINARY THINGS, released this week, and we have our review to share with you. Coralie Sardie is the daughter of the sinister impresario behind The Museum of Extraordinary Things, a Coney Island boardwalk freak show that thrills the masses. One night, Coralie stumbles upon a striking young man taking pictures of moonlit trees. When Eddie Cohen photographs the devastation on the streets of New York following the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, he becomes embroiled in the suspicious mystery behind a young woman’s disappearance and ignites the heart of Coralie. Reviewer Kate Ayers proclaims the novel to be “an extraordinary book. Alice Hoffman’s pacing is spot on, starting slowly and building steadily to a grand finale. Her characters are so fully realized that you will lose yourself in their lives, ache for their heartbreak, and cry for their miseries.”
EVENING STARS, the latest installment in Susan Mallery’s series of books set on Blackberry Island, is the newest title in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. Small-town nurse Nina Wentworth has made a career out of being a caretaker. More “Mom” than their mother ever was, she sacrificed medical school --- and her first love --- so her sister could break free. Which is why she isn’t exactly thrilled to see Averil back on Blackberry Island, especially when Nina’s life has suddenly become…complicated. We have 25 advance copies of the book, which releases on February 25th, to give away to readers who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, March 4th at noon ET.
This week we launched our Spring Preview Feature, which gives us an opportunity to spotlight a number of new books releasing in the spring that we are looking forward to and that you will want to consider adding to your reading list. We’re hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these books, so you’ll have to check the site each day to see which title is being given away --- or you can sign up for our Spring Preview newsletter to be notified when contests go live. We kicked it all off with THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS by Elizabeth Gilbert. Next week’s prize books will be FAR GONE by Laura Griffin and THE KRAKEN PROJECT by Douglas Preston. Besides entering the contests, we recommend you look at the entire list of titles here.
Speaking of contests, we wanted to point out a couple of exciting ones happening right now on two of our other sites, both spotlighting anniversaries for some beloved children’s titles. We are betting you will remember either reading these yourself or reading them with a child. We purposely structured these contests so you can enjoy these celebrations as well by entering them!
On 20SomethingReads.com, we are celebrating multiple Shel Silverstein anniversaries, including the 50th of THE GIVING TREE and the 40th of WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS, with a contest that will be running from now until Tuesday, March 18th at noon ET. To enter, readers will submit a short poem (a maximum of five lines) for a chance to win an outstanding grand prize, which includes a copy of each of the following: the 40th anniversary edition of WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS, and 50th anniversary editions of THE GIVING TREE, DON’T BUMP THE GLUMP!, A GIRAFFE AND A HALF, and LAFCADIO, THE LION WHO SHOT BACK. The runner-up will receive the anniversary editions of THE GIVING TREE and WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS. We’ll post the top two poems plus our 10 favorites on the site.
We’re also hosting a contest in honor of the 50th anniversary of HARRIET THE SPY. Five readers will be awarded a copy of a special 50th anniversary edition of the book, which includes not just the original story but also a map of Harriet's New York City neighborhood and spy route, tributes by such authors as Judy Blume and Lois Lowry, and copies of letters between the editor and author. To enter, we pose a fun question: Which literary character would you spy on, and why? Click here for details on how both you and the kids in your life can enter to win over at Kidsreads.com!
I am pleased to announce that THE INNOCENT SLEEP by Karen Perry and RUNNER by Patrick Lee are my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On selections.
THE INNOCENT SLEEP finds Harry and Robin settling into a new kind of life five years after the presumed death of their son, Dillon. However, when Harry gets a glimpse of Dillon on the crowded streets of Dublin, the past comes rushing back at both of them. Has Dillon been alive all these years? Or was what Harry saw just a figment of his guilt-ridden imagination? Jamie Layton has our review and calls the book “a haunting, tragic debut novel that on the surface seems like the straightforward story of a couple who struggles to move on years after the loss of their child. As the storyline becomes more convoluted, however, it proves that sometimes what you think you see is actually very different from what is.” Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this book.
RUNNER is the start of Patrick Lee’s thriller series starring retired special forces agent Sam Dryden, who in this first installment encounters a young girl who is running from a group of heavily armed men intent on killing her. He learns that the 11-year-old has been kept in a secret prison by forces within the government. She only remembers the past two months of her life and that she has a skill that makes her very dangerous to these men. Dryden agrees to help her try to unravel her own past and make sense of it, to protect her from the people who are moving heaven and earth to find them both. According to reviewer Joe Hartlaub, “I spent most of the novel waiting for a net to drop over Dryden and Rachel. It does, for a moment or two, but Lee is just getting started. By book’s end, your heart will be in your mouth or on the floor --- everywhere it’s not supposed to be.” Well said, Joe! Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this book.
We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, reviews that we’ve posted recently on our Teenreads.com site. This month’s selections are CONQUEST: The Chronicles of the Invaders, Book 1 by John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard and GRANDMASTER by David Klass. Click here to see more YA books we recommend you read.
In our poll this week, we ask which of our sites in The Book Report Network you visit. Do you only look at Bookreporter.com? Or do you explore other sites? Click here to let us know! Answers to questions like this help us with future programming.
Our previous poll asked: When you’re reading nonfiction about history, do you prefer that the book reads more like a novel or more like an academic work (i.e., a more straightforward account of events)? 71% of you chose the former, while only 9% selected the latter. Meanwhile, 12% of you have no preference, and 9% typically don’t read nonfiction books about history.
We have a new Word of Mouth contest this week. Let us know what books you’re reading, and you’ll have the opportunity to win these three books: A CIRCLE OF WIVES by Alice LaPlante, THE TROOP: A Novel of Terror by Nick Cutter, and TROUBLE IN MIND: The Collected Stories, Volume 3 by Jeffery Deaver. Please fill out the form on this page by Friday, March 7th at noon ET.
The finalists for the 34th annual L.A. Times Book Prizes were announced this week. Among the nominees are SYCAMORE ROW by John Grisham (Mystery/Thriller), A TALE FOR THE TIME BEING by Ruth Ozeki (Fiction) and FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital, by Sheri Fink (Current Interest). Click here for all the nominees. The winners will be announced on April 11th, the evening before the L.A. Times Festival of Books, taking place on April 12th and 13th.
Also this week, we found out the finalists for the Audie Awards, the only awards program in the US devoted entirely to honoring spoken word entertainment. Among the nominees are THE HIT by David Baldacci (Thriller/Suspense), THE LONGEST RIDE by Nicholas Sparks (Romance) and ONE SUMMER: 1927 by Bill Bryson (History). Click here for the complete list of nominees. The winners will be announced at the Audies Gala on May 29th at the New York Academy of Medicine.
WHEW…you never would know it was a short week for our team. Thanks to the many of you who sent much-deserved birthday wishes to our Editorial Director, Tom Donadio, last week. I loved hearing that he heard from so many of you.
Quiet weekend on tap here. My goal: try to unearth some firewood. We have not seen the ground since December, and my lack of pioneer woman skills kept me from stacking up wood on the ring on the front porch back in October and November, or else we would have had enough wood. Three days of 50-degree weather MAY help me find the wood pile. I have my tall snow boots ready to go. I think I remember where the wood pile was.
I finished knitting a scarf last weekend, and four other knitting projects each have one inch done on them. The other night, I met Tom for dinner at a restaurant and asked him to bring me the blue sweater so I could continue working on it. He has been married to me long enough to know there are variations on blue and which is which. Here’s to a great week ahead. Read on….
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
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Now in Stores: THE MUSEUM OF EXTRAORDINARY THINGS by Alice Hoffman
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THE MUSEUM OF EXTRAORDINARY THINGS by Alice Hoffman (Historical Romance/Mystery)
Coralie Sardie is the daughter of the sinister impresario behind The Museum of Extraordinary Things, a Coney Island boardwalk freak show that thrills the masses. One night, Coralie stumbles upon a striking young man taking pictures of moonlit trees. When Eddie Cohen photographs the devastation on the streets of New York following the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, he becomes embroiled in the suspicious mystery behind a young woman’s disappearance and ignites the heart of Coralie. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: CONCEALED IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
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CONCEALED IN DEATH by J. D. Robb (Mystery)
In a decrepit, long-empty New York building, Lieutenant Eve Dallas’s husband begins the demolition process by swinging a sledgehammer into a wall. When the dust clears, there are two skeletons wrapped in plastic behind it. He summons his wife immediately --- and by the time she’s done with the crime scene, there are 12 murders to be solved. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book --- Our Latest Featured Title: THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR by Joël Dicker
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At Bookreporter.com, we have the opportunity to read many great books well in advance of their release dates. With our Sneak Peek Feature and Contest, we offer our readers the chance to preview select early picks --- and share feedback on them. We know that readers champion books that they love, and we want you to be part of the excitement of upcoming releases as early as possible.
Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR by Joël Dicker, an ingenious book within a book about the disappearance of a 15-year-old New Hampshire girl and, 33 years later, a young American writer’s determination to clear his mentor’s name --- and find the inspiration for his next bestseller. The book doesn’t release until May 27th, but we have 50 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by April 30th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 6th at noon ET.
For our Sneak Peek program, your commitment to participate is critical, so please only enter this contest if you truly will have time to read THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR and give us your feedback before our April 30th deadline. We take these project deadlines seriously. If not, don’t worry…we will have more opportunities like this in the future.
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HARRY QUEBERT AFFAIR by Joël Dicker (Literary Thriller)
August 30, 1975: the day 15-year-old Nola Kellergan is glimpsed fleeing through the woods before she disappears; the day Somerset, New Hampshire, lost its innocence.
Thirty-three years later, Marcus Goldman, a successful young novelist, visits Somerset to see his mentor, Harry Quebert, one of America’s most respected writers, and to find a cure for his writer’s block as his publisher’s deadline looms. But Marcus’s plans are violently upended when Harry is suddenly and sensationally implicated in the cold-case murder of Nola Kellergan --- whom, he admits, he had an affair with.
As the national media convicts Harry, Marcus launches his own investigation, following a trail of clues through his mentor’s books, the backwoods and isolated beaches of New Hampshire, and the hidden history of Somerset’s citizens and the man they hold most dear. To save Harry, his writing career, and eventually even himself, Marcus must answer three questions, all of which are mysteriously connected: Who killed Nola Kellergan? What happened one misty morning in Somerset in the summer of 1975? And how do you write a successful and true novel?
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read Joël Dicker's bio.
-Click here to visit Joël Dicker's official website.
-Click here to connect with Joël Dicker on Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Sneak Peek Feature and enter the contest. |
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New Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: EVENING STARS by Susan Mallery
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We have 25 advance copies of EVENING STARS: A Blackberry Island Novel by Susan Mallery, which releases on February 25th, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, March 4th at noon ET.
EVENING STARS: A Blackberry Island Novel by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
Small-town nurse Nina Wentworth has made a career out of being a caretaker. More “Mom” than their mother ever was, she sacrificed medical school --- and her first love --- so her sister could break free. Which is why she isn’t exactly thrilled to see Averil back on Blackberry Island, especially when Nina’s life has suddenly become…complicated.
Nina unexpectedly finds herself juggling two men --- her high school sweetheart and a younger maverick pilot who also wants to claim her heart. But as fun as all this romance is, Nina has real life to deal with. Averil doesn’t seem to want the great guy she’s married to, and doesn’t seem to be making headway writing her first book; their mom is living life just as recklessly as she always has; and Nina’s starting to realize that the control she once had is slipping out of her fingers. Her hopes of getting off the island seem to be stretching further away…until her mother makes a discovery that could change everything forever.
But before Nina and Averil can reach for the stars, they have to decide what they want. Will Averil stay? Will Nina leave? And what about the men who claim to love them? Does love heal, or will finding their happy ending mean giving up all they’ve ever wanted?
Download a copy of the EVENING STARS book club kit here! Inside you’ll find a letter from Susan, a Blackberry Island map, a special author Q&A, recipes and more to make your book club a success!
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Susan Mallery's bio.
-Click here to visit Susan Mallery's official website.
-Connect with Susan Mallery on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to visit the Blackberry Island series website.
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Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
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Bookreporter.com Bets On: THE INNOCENT SLEEP by Karen Perry and RUNNER by Patrick Lee
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THE INNOCENT SLEEP by Karen Perry (Thriller)
THE INNOCENT SLEEP is by Karen Perry, which is the pen name of the Dublin-based writers Paul Perry and Karen Gillece. This is their first novel together (they are married but not to each other --- just friends). It opens in Tangiers where Harry and Robin are living with their son, Dillon. Harry is home with Dillon making Robin a special birthday dinner when he realizes he has forgotten her present. Dillon is asleep and makes a quick decision to race over to their friend's home to pick up the gift. While he is gone, an earthquake occurs. The building where Dillon was sleeping is destroyed, but his body is never found.
Flash forward, and Harry and Robin are back in Dublin, their native home, putting the pieces of their lives back together when one day Harry is sure that he has seen Dillon. Who has he seen?
-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
RUNNER by Patrick Lee (Thriller)
Last April, I read RUNNER by Patrick Lee in manuscript and still remember being breathless when I read it. Thrillers that give you many “aha” moments are the ones you don’t forget --- and RUNNER certainly has many of those!
Sam Dryden is a retired Ranger special forces agent who once was part of a team that ran a lot of his operations off the grid. Now he has rebuilt his life in a small Southern California town. He’s a loner, having lost both his wife and young daughter in an accident. As an aside here, I knew someone who was a special agent for the FBI, and we talked one night about how one adjusts after having lived that kind of an adrenaline-filled life. How does one go from missions at Ruby Ridge, Waco and Yemen, to carpooling, grocery shopping and normal life? He told me that between the memories and the change in the pace of your life, it’s a real challenge. For years, he was the guy coaching baseball who might get a call in the middle of a game. It would not be that his wife needed milk, but rather he was wheels up on an assignment in two hours.
-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
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Click here for more books we're betting you'll love. |
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Bookreporter.com's Spring Preview Contests and Feature
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Spring is in the air (or will be in a few weeks)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by a list of great upcoming books! Here are some picks that we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We will be hosting a number of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through March 20th. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, February 25th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include the following:
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Click here to see our Spring Preview feature and sign up for our special newsletter. |
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Now in Stores: THE WINTER PEOPLE by Jennifer McMahon
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THE WINTER PEOPLE by Jennifer McMahon (Literary Thriller)
In 1908, Sara Harrison Shea was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie. Now, in present day, 19-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara's farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister, Fawn. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that suddenly proves perilous when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished without a trace. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: A BURNABLE BOOK by Bruce Holsinger
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A BURNABLE BOOK by Bruce Holsinger (Historical Thriller)
London, 1385. A book of poems prophesying the death of English kings, including the newly crowned King Richard II, is all anyone can talk about. John Gower --- a poet himself, but more importantly, a man with connections --- must find the book to save his friend, the poet Geoffrey Chaucer. What he doesn’t know or understand are his personal connections to the book that could also get him killed. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Historical Fiction Author Spotlight: CITY OF JASMINE by Deanna Raybourn
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CITY OF JASMINE by Deanna Raybourn (Historical Fiction)
Famed aviatrix Evangeline Starke never expected to see her husband, adventurer Gabriel Starke, ever again. They had been a golden couple, enjoying a whirlwind courtship amid the backdrop of a glittering social set in prewar London until his sudden death with the sinking of the Lusitania.
Five years later, beginning to embrace life again, Evie embarks upon a flight around the world, collecting fame and admirers along the way. In the midst of her triumphant tour, she is shocked to receive a mysterious --- and recent --- photograph of Gabriel, which brings her ambitious stunt to a screeching halt.
CITY OF JASMINE releases on February 25th.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read Deanna Raybourn's bio.
-Visit Deanna Raybourn's official website and blog.
-Connect with Deanna Raybourn on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Historical Fiction Author Spotlight. |
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Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight: WHEN SHADOWS FALL by J.T. Ellison
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WHEN SHADOWS FALL: A Samantha Owens Novel by J.T. Ellison (Thriller)
Forensic pathologist Dr. Samantha Owens thought life was finally returning to normal after she suffered a terrible personal loss. Settling into her new job at Georgetown University, the illusion is shattered when she receives a disturbing letter from a dead man imploring her to solve his murder.
There’s only one catch. Timothy Savage’s death was so obviously the suicide of a demented individual that the case has been closed. When Sam learns Savage left a will requesting she autopsy his body, she feels compelled to look into the case. Sam’s own postmortem discovers clear signs that Savage was indeed murdered. And she finds DNA from a child who went missing years earlier and has nl-a-sever been found.
WHEN SHADOWS FALL releases on February 25th.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read J.T. Ellison's bio.
-Click here to visit J.T. Ellison's official website.
-Connect with J.T. Ellison on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight. |
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More Reviews This Week
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THE ADVENTURES OF HENRY THOREAU: A Young Man's Unlikely Path to Walden Pond by Michael Sims (Biography)
THE ADVENTURES OF HENRY THOREAU --- chronicling the 10 years in his life beginning with Harvard in 1837 and ending as he walked away from Walden Pond after living in his long dreamed-of cabin for only two years --- tells the dramatic (and at times heartbreaking) story of how a troubled young man found a meaningful life in a tempestuous era. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
I FORGOT TO REMEMBER: A Memoir of Amnesia by Su Meck with Daniel de Vise (Memoir)
In 1988, Su Meck suffered a traumatic brain injury that erased all her memories of her life up to that point. Although her body healed rapidly, her memories never returned. Yet after just three weeks in the hospital, Su was released and once again charged with the care of two toddlers and a busy household. Nearly 20 years would pass before a series of personally devastating events shattered the “normal” life she had worked so hard to build, and she realized that she would have to grow up all over again. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
CAUGHT by Lisa Moore (Literary Adventure)
David Slaney has escaped from prison, where he was locked up on charges of marijuana possession. A trucker who is a friend of his sister transports him to a strip bar, where he survives his first night of freedom. But Slaney intends to track down his old partner, Hearn, and get back into the drug business. Along the way, Slaney's fugitive journey across Canada rushes vibrantly to life as he visits an old flame and adopts numerous guises to outpace authorities. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
DARK INVASION: 1915: Germany's Secret War and the Hunt for the First Terrorist Cell in America by Howard Blum (History)
When a “neutral” United States becomes a trading partner for the Allies early in World War I, the Germans implement a secret plan to strike back. A team of saboteurs devise a series of “mysterious accidents” using explosives and biological weapons to bring down vital targets. New York Police Inspector Tom Tunney, head of the department’s Bomb Squad, is assigned the difficult mission of stopping them. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
MY NAME IS RESOLUTE by Nancy E. Turner (Historical Fiction)
The year is 1729, and Resolute Talbot and her siblings are captured by pirates, taken from their family in Jamaica, and brought to the New World. Resolute and her sister are sold into slavery in New England and taught the trade of spinning and weaving. She struggles to find her way in a society that is quick to judge a young woman without a family. As the seeds of rebellion against England grow, Resolute is torn between following the rules and breaking free. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
TIME OF ATTACK by Marc Cameron (Thriller)
People in a small Utah town are contracting a horrific disease with alarming plague-like symptoms, and outbreaks are already being reported in China, Japan and England. Evidence suggests this is not a new strain of superbug, but an act of war. Special agent Jericho Quinn, hellbent on finding the sniper who attacked his family, steps into an even bigger --- and deadlier --- conspiracy: a secret cabal of elite assassins embedded throughout the globe. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
ROMANCE IS MY DAY JOB: A Memoir of Finding Love at Last by Patience Bloom (Memoir)
As a teen, Patience Bloom fell in love with Harlequin novels and imagined her life would turn out just like the heroines’ on the page. Years later, she moved to New York and found her dream job: editing romances for Harlequin. Bloom became an expert when it came to fictional love stories, but her dating life remained uninspired. Then one day, a real-life chance at romance made her wonder if what she’d been writing and editing all those years might be true. Reviewed by Frederick Lloyd.
LION PLAYS ROUGH: A Leo Maxwell Mystery by Lachlan Smith (Mystery)
In LION PLAYS ROUGH, the second in Lachlan Smith’s acclaimed Leo Maxwell series, Leo is tasked by a mysterious woman to defend her wrongfully accused brother, only to find himself accused of a heinous crime that only he can solve. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub. |
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Young Adult Books You Want to Read
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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:
CONQUEST: The Chronicles of the Invaders, Book 1 by John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard (Science Fiction/Adventure)
The first installment in John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard's new science fiction trilogy, The Chronicles of the Invaders, CONQUEST introduces a world where humanity has been conquered by a powerful alien rulership --- unless a group of young rebels can unlock their powers and help rescue humankind from its terrible fate.
GRANDMASTER by David Klass (Fiction)
As a teen, Daniel Pratzer's father was one of the most promising chess players in America. But the pressures of the game pushed him too far, and he gave up chess. Now, 30 years later, Mr. Pratzer returns to the game to face down an old competitor and old demons. Daniel was looking for acceptance --- but his father's secrets will force him to make some surprising moves himself.
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Click here for more young adult books we recommend you read. |
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Our Latest Poll: Which of Our Sites Do You Visit?
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Which of the following sites in The Book Report Network do you visit? Please check all that apply.
Bookreporter.com
20SomethingReads.com
Teenreads.com
Kidsreads.com
ReadingGroupGuides.com
GraphicNovelReporter.com
FaithfulReader.com
I do not visit any of these sites.
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Click here to answer the poll. |
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Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win THREE Books!
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Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from February 21st to March 7th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of A CIRCLE OF WIVES by Alice LaPlante, THE TROOP: A Novel of Terror by Nick Cutter, and TROUBLE IN MIND: The Collected Stories, Volume 3 by Jeffery Deaver.
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.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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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.
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