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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
July 11, 2014 |
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A Thrilling Week
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I trust that you all had a nice 4th of July. One of the highlights for me was having no set agenda for four days. I truly appreciate time like this when I can just kick things back a notch, pick up a book and put down all electronic devices. The weather cleared on Friday night, and Saturday and Sunday were glorious. In between dinners with friends, I read, and by the time the weekend was over, three books had made my weekend a lot brighter.
First up was a manuscript for THE SECRETS OF MIDWIVES by Sally Hepworth, which is releasing in February 2015 and already has great quotes from Liane Moriarty, Christina Baker Kline and Ann Hood --- and with good reason! It traces three generations of midwives who all share secrets that have huge consequences and tie these women together. I am a HUGE fan of Robert Dugoni’s, thus the chance to read MY SISTER’S GRAVE, which is releasing on October 14th, was a real treat. His writing is so good; while I have compared him to Grisham in the past here, I also am going to layer in a comparison to Sandra Brown. His plotting and characters never fail to completely engage me. Last up was THE PARIS ARCHITECT by Charles Belfoure, which I had started months ago, but had not had time to finish. It’s coming in paperback next week and will be one of our Summer Reading prize titles next week. I am kicking myself that I did not read it in hardcover, but I will make up for that by making it a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. It’s a novel about an architect who devises clever hiding places for Jews in the homes of Parisians during World War II. Very thought-provoking!
My schedule this week has thrillers on the agenda as it’s ThrillerFest conference week, the annual gathering of international thriller writers with a schedule filled with panels, signings and, this year, a celebration of FACEOFF, their latest anthology pairing together thriller writers and their iconic characters. The week for me kicked off with, of all things, “Face the Nation,” where authors Sandra Brown, Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, Karin Slaughter and David Ignatius discussed the thrillers that are on their reading list this summer, as well as FACEOFF. You can see the segment here.
On Wednesday night, I caught up with Raymond Khoury, who had just flown in from the U.K. and attended a lovely party thrown by Strand Magazine where they announced The Strand Magazine Critics Awards for Best Mystery Novel (THE SHINING GIRLS by Lauren Beukes) and Best First Novel (GHOSTMAN by Roger Hobbs), as well as The Strand's Lifetime Achievement Awards to Peter Lovesey and R.L. Stine.
Two cocktail parties kicked off ThrillerFest on Thursday night and gave me a chance to catch up with writer and publishing friends with drinks in hand. It's such fun to see so many writer friends in one place, like Gayle Lynds, Steve Berry, Chevy Stevens, Carla Buckley, Patrick Lee and Linwood Barclay, just to name a few. There were editors, publicists, marketers and media friends all mingling. I will be back there today with much more to report next week!
Speaking of thrillers, this week we kick off our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight of THE WOLF by Lorenzo Carcaterra. The titular Wolf is Vincent Marelli, leader of the biggest criminal operation in the world. Invisible, ubiquitous, and constantly raking in profits, the Wolf is seemingly invincible --- that is, until his wife and daughters are killed by terrorists. While many would be consumed by their grief, the Wolf has only one thought: revenge. He calls upon all international crime syndicates to wage war with every known terrorist group in the ultimate battle of crime versus chaos. I loved the book, which has so many surprises in it! We have 35 copies of THE WOLF to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on July 29th, and share their comments about it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, July 24th at noon ET.
A month or so ago, Lorenzo sent me some swag for THE WOLF, including a very cool hat (pictured above) that I have been wearing as I garden. Don’t I look sinister with those clippers in hand? My own thrilling adventure is clipping dead branches and deadheading flowers. Between that and chasing off Japanese beetles, I think I had a very appropriate hat, don’t you?
The thrills don’t stop there! For something new, check out our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight of Mary Kubica, whose first novel THE GOOD GIRL releases on July 29th. Employed as an inner city art teacher, Mia Dennett is no stranger to moving against the grain, but when she impulsively goes home with the smooth and witty Colin Thatcher after meeting him in a bar, she cannot prepare for what comes next. Colin forces her into his car in the middle of the night, intending to abduct her for his employers as part of an extortion plot. But just before delivering her, Colin decides to hide Mia in a cabin in rural Minnesota, secluded from the police and his dangerous employers. Meanwhile, Eve and Detective Gabe Hoffman work endlessly to find Mia, despite emotional entanglements that shatter the seemingly perfect family. It was very well done! We have 25 copies of THE GOOD GIRL to give away to readers who would like to read the book and share their comments about it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, July 24th at noon ET.
Featured in our New Release Spotlight this week is SISTERS OF TREASON by Elizabeth Fremantle. Lady Catherine and Lady Mary Grey are reeling after the brutal execution of their elder 17-year-old sister, Lady Jane Grey. Lady Catherine cannot control her desire for love, while Lady Mary Grey, the cleverer of the two, is held back by her crooked spine in a world that demands physical perfection. With succession unstable and neither girl suited for the treacherous politics of courtly life, they find themselves confiding in the royal painter, Levina Teerlinc, who becomes their mentor. But when the Queen’s sister, Elizabeth, inherits the crown, life at court becomes increasingly dangerous for the Grey sisters. Each young woman must decide how far she will go to defy the Queen --- at the risk of her life and opportunity for romantic love. Click here to read more about the book.
Fans of Emma Chase’s Tangled series will be looking forward to the third installment, TAMED, which we’re also featuring in our New Release Spotlight. Matthew Fisher, the best friend of Drew Evans from TANGLED and TWISTED, is finally ready to settle down. He knows he has found the one in the vivid Dee Dee Warren, but after too many heartbreaks and letdowns, she’s going to need some convincing. Fortunately, Matthew can be very persuasive --- especially when sex is on the line. You may think you know the path their story will take, but the journey makes it entirely worth it. Click here to read more about the book and the series, which we’re also spotlighting in our Summer Reading feature.
Chris Bohjalian is back with a new novel, CLOSE YOUR EYES, HOLD HANDS. When a nuclear plant experienced a cataclysmic meltdown, killing Emily Shepard’s parents and forcing thousands to flee the area, the blame falls to the man in charge of the plant: Emily’s father. Certain that she is in danger as the daughter of the most hated man in America, Emily escapes, surviving by inventing a new identity for herself inspired by Emily Dickinson. She soon befriends a young homeless boy named Cameron, whom she protects ferociously. But even her new purpose cannot protect her from her past forever --- so she comes up with a plan. Ray Palen has our review and says, “Chris Bohjalian has created a heartbreaking and memorable story with a protagonist every reader will be rooting for. Emily finds her solace in the words of Emily Dickinson, while we will find satisfaction in watching her attempt to recover all that she has lost.” I have to get my hands on this one!
For a fresh look on marriage, try LANDLINE by Rainbow Rowell. Despite their love for one another, Georgie McCool knows her marriage to Neal is in trouble. To make matters worse, two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family for Christmas, Georgie must tell Neal that she can’t go because something has come up at work. She knows Neal will be a little upset --- he always is --- but she doesn’t expect him to pack up the kids and leave without her. Georgie is convinced that she’s finally ruined everything --- until she finds a way to communicate with Neal in the past. Reviewer Norah Piehl has this to say: “Rowell demonstrates once again that her writing possesses not only broad appeal but also keen insights into a vast array of human identities and emotions.”
I have been listening to LANDLINE on audio, narrated by Rebecca Lowman. Given that so much of the book takes place in conversations over the phone lines, this is a terrific format for enjoying this story. By the way, you may know Rainbow Rowell from her bestselling YA titles, ELEANOR & PARK and FANGIRL.
Mother-daughter duo Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella return with a new collection of stories, HAVE A NICE GUILT TRIP. Their fourth collaboration finds them continuing on the road of life acquiring men and puppies (you can decide which are easier to train). With Lisa maintaining her life in the suburbs --- with frequent and hilarious visits from Mother Mary --- and twentysomething Francesca taking on New York City, there are plenty of opportunities for family-induced guilt, laughter and love. Carole Turner has our review and says, “Once again, these two delightful ladies share their private thoughts with us, and we are wiser and happier for it.” As I mentioned last week, I highly recommend the audiobook of this for the narration done by Lisa and Francesca. If you listen, be sure to catch the interview at the end where both authors talk about why reading this book was so emotionally charged for them.
FRIENDSHIP is journalist and blogger Emily Gould’s debut novel. Here she traces the evolution of a friendship through 30-year-old best friends Bev Tunney and Amy Schein. Bev is a Midwesterner stuck in a rut of temping, cohabitating and drowning in student-loan debt. East Coast princess Amy is beginning to learn that her luck and charm cannot get her through the rest of her life, despite her previous successes. And now down-on-her-luck Bev is pregnant. As the two are forcefully dragged into adulthood, they find that, despite their best attempts, their friendship may not reach the same maturity. Reviewer Donna Smallwood has much praise for the book, calling it “a complex novel filled with a mixture of love, loyalty and even resentment, but it is also a story of strength and the promise that both 'old' and 'new' friendships are golden."
Nicole and Emily, who run our 20SomethingReads.com website, attended Emily's NYC event on Thursday night and had this to say: "The bottom floor of McNally Jackson was packed like a can of sardines as other twentysomethings and thirtysomethings alike attentively listened as Gould passionately read a passage from her new novel. The crowd was simultaneously pleased with and intrigued by her clear passion for her ongoing role as writer aficionado."
Based on a true story, THE VISITORS by Sally Beauman brilliantly reimagines the hunt for boy pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb. The year is 1922, and 11-year-old Lucy Payne has been sent to Egypt to recover from her brush with typhoid. Here she makes fast friends with Frances, the daughter of an archaeologist, and is drawn into the thrilling search for the tomb of Tutankhamun, led by Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter. As the historical discovery unfolds, Lucy discovers that some people will risk everything to fulfill their deepest desires --- and claim a piece of the ancient past. Amie Taylor has our review and says, “Whether the narrative of Lucy Payne reflects events from her viewpoint as a child or implements the wisdom that comes only with old age, each nugget of information and each scene in the book propels the story forward to the inevitable end.” By the way, Sally's older book. DESTINY. was one of my very favorites.
Also available now is THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING, a debut novel by Erika Johansen that’s a #1 Indie Next Pick and LibraryReads Selection. A young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler --- and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her. We’ll have much more about the book next week when we share our review. In the meantime, please check out the guide that we posted this week on our ReadingGroupGuides.com site. I had the pleasure of meeting Erika at a luncheon earlier this year. She's a fellow knitter, and I owe her a list of yarn shops to visit on tour. Multitasking at its finest. She told me that once she got her book contract, she bought some more expensive yarn as she could afford it!
Our resident baseball expert, Ron Kaplan, is back with a brand-new roundup about America’s pastime. In anticipation of the All-Star Break, which starts on Monday, Ron spotlights three books that you may want to consider reading while your favorite team gets a much-deserved rest from the daily MLB grind. Click here for the feature.
In this week’s Summer Reading Contests, we gave away the aforementioned CLOSE YOUR EYES, HOLD HANDS by Chris Bohjalian, FAIR PLAY by Deeanne Gist, THE STORIES WE TELL by Patti Callahan Henry and THE TRAITOR'S WIFE by Allison Pataki. Next week’s prizes will be BIG LITTLE LIES by Liane Moriarty and CLAIRE OF THE SEA LIGHT by Edwidge Danticat, along with the aforementioned THE PARIS ARCHITECT by Charles Belfoure and the Tangled series (TANGLED, TWISTED and TAMED) by Emma Chase. Click here to see all of our featured titles.
Are you signed up for our Summer Reading newsletter so you get word as soon as these contests go live? If not, click here to get signed up! Please note: If you signed up for the Summer Reading newsletter in the previous years we’ve done these contests, you don’t need to do so again…you already are signed up!
Do you pre-order books? If so, how far in advance do you pre-order a book from your favorite author? Let us know by voting in our new poll! And yes, we have a way for you to share about reserving books at your local library as well.
In our previous poll, we asked if you read more than one book at the same time. 26% of you only read or listen to one book at a time, while the rest of you juggle more than one book at a time, whether it be a print book, eBook, audiobook, or a combination of the three. Click here for a complete breakdown of the results.
We have a new Word of Mouth contest going up this week. Let us know what books you’ve read by Friday, July 25th at noon ET for a chance to win the aforementioned CLOSE YOUR EYES, HOLD HANDS and LANDLINE, along with WAYFARING STRANGER by James Lee Burke, which we’ll be reviewing next week.
For those of you who enjoyed Lisa See’s CHINA DOLLS but did not get to see her on the road, she shared this video of one of her appearances.
I'm hoping to get to lots more reading time this weekend after my thrilling week of seeing so many author friends. Every time I talk to another author, I add another book to my pile with great enthusiasm.
Here’s to a great week of reading...read on…
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
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Now in Stores: CLOSE YOUR EYES, HOLD HANDS by Chris Bohjalian
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CLOSE YOUR EYES, HOLD HANDS by Chris Bohjalian (Fiction)
When Emily Shepard’s parents are killed in a nuclear plant meltdown that may have been her father’s fault, she leaves her home in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom rather than face the danger of being the daughter of the most hated man in America. She takes off for Burlington, where she creates an identity inspired by Emily Dickinson. When she befriends a homeless boy named Cameron, she protects him with a ferocity she didn’t know she had. But she still can’t outrun her past or escape her grief forever. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: ACT OF WAR by Brad Thor
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ACT OF WAR by Brad Thor (Thriller)
After a CIA agent mysteriously dies overseas, his top asset surfaces with a terrifying claim, but no one knows if she can be trusted. When six exchange students go missing, two airplane passengers trade places, and an asylum seeker is arrested, a deadly chain of events is set in motion. America’s new president must turn to counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath to carry out two operations that, if discovered, will constitute an act of war. 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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Now in Stores: LANDLINE by Rainbow Rowell
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LANDLINE by Rainbow Rowell (Fiction)
Two days before they’re supposed to visit family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie McCool tells her husband, Neal, that she has to stay in LA. Something has come up on the TV show for which she writes. She knows Neal will be upset, but doesn’t expect him to pack up the kids and go without her. She wonders if she’s ruined their already troubled relationship. That night, Georgie finds a way to talk to Neal in the past. Is she supposed to fix their marriage before it starts? Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: HAVE A NICE GUILT TRIP by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
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HAVE A NICE GUILT TRIP by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella (Humor/Essays)
Once again, the mother-daughter writing duo of Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella provide a uniquely frank and often humorous look at life. With twenty-something Francesca navigating New York City, Lisa holding down the fort in the suburbs, and Mother Mary making frequent and always entertaining appearances, there are plenty of opportunities for family-induced guilt, fighting, laughter and love. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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New Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest: THE WOLF by Lorenzo Carcaterra
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We have 35 copies of THE WOLF by Lorenzo Carcaterra, which releases on July 29th, 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, July 24th at noon ET.
THE WOLF by Lorenzo Carcaterra (Thriller)
My name is Vincent Marelli, though most people call me The Wolf. You’ve never met me, and if you’re lucky you never will. But in more ways than you could think of, I own you.
I run the biggest criminal operation in the world. We’re invisible but we’re everywhere. Wherever you go, whatever you do, however it is you spend your money, a piece of it lands in our pockets.
You would think that with that kind of power I would be invincible. You would be wrong. I made a mistake, one that a guy like me can never afford to make. I let my guard down. And because I did, my wife and daughters are gone. Murdered by terrorists with a lethal ax to grind.
That was my mistake. But it was also theirs.
I wasn’t looking for a war with them. No one in my group was. But they’ve left me with nothing but a desire for revenge --- so a war is what they’ll get. The full strength of international organized crime against every known terrorist group working today. Crime versus chaos.
We will protect our interests, and I will protect my son. We won’t get them all, but I will get my revenge, or I will die trying.
They will know my name. They will feel my wrath. They will fear The Wolf.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Lorenzo Carcaterra’s bio.
-Click here to visit Lorenzo Carcaterra’s official website.
-Click here to connect with Lorenzo Carcaterra on Facebook.
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Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
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New Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest: THE GOOD GIRL by Mary Kubica
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We have 25 advance copies of THE GOOD GIRL by Mary Kubica, which releases on July 29th, 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, July 24th at noon ET.
THE GOOD GIRL by Mary Kubica (Psychological Thriller)
Born to a prominent Chicago judge and his stifled socialite wife, Mia Dennett moves against the grain as a young inner-city art teacher. One night, Mia enters a bar to meet her on-again, off-again boyfriend. But when he doesn't show, she unwisely leaves with an enigmatic stranger. With his smooth moves and modest wit, at first Colin Thatcher seems like a safe one-night stand. But following Colin home will turn out to be the worst mistake of Mia's life.
Colin's job was to abduct Mia as part of a wild extortion plot and deliver her to his employers. But the plan takes an unexpected turn when Colin suddenly decides to hide Mia in a secluded cabin in rural Minnesota, evading the police and his deadly superiors. Mia's mother, Eve, and detective Gabe Hoffman will stop at nothing to find them, but no one could have predicted the emotional entanglements that eventually cause this family's world to shatter.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to watch the book trailer.
-Click here for the digital book club kit.
-Click here to read Mary Kubica’s bio.
-Click here to visit Mary Kubica’s official website.
-Connect with Mary Kubica on Facebook and Twitter
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Click here to read more in our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
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New Release Spotlight: SISTERS OF TREASON by Elizabeth Fremantle
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SISTERS OF TREASON by Elizabeth Fremantle (Historical Fiction)
Early in Mary Tudor’s turbulent reign, Lady Catherine and Lady Mary Grey are reeling after the brutal execution of their elder 17-year-old sister, Lady Jane Grey, and the succession is by no means stable. In SISTERS OF TREASON, Elizabeth Fremantle brings these young women to life in a spellbinding Tudor tale of love and politics.
Neither sister is well suited to a dangerous life at court. Flirtatious Lady Catherine, thought to be the true heir, cannot control her compulsion to love and be loved. Her sister, clever Lady Mary, has a crooked spine and a tiny stature in an age when physical perfection equates to goodness --- and both girls have inherited the Tudor blood that is more curse than blessing. For either girl to marry without royal permission would be a potentially fatal political act. It is the royal portrait painter, Levina Teerlinc, who helps the girls survive these troubled times. She becomes their mentor and confidante, but when the Queen’s sister, the hot-headed Elizabeth, inherits the crown, life at court becomes increasingly treacherous for the surviving Grey sisters. Ultimately each young woman must decide how far she will go to defy her Queen, risk her life, and find the safety and love she longs for.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Elizabeth Fremantle’s bio.
-Click here to visit Elizabeth Fremantle’s official website.
-Connect with Elizabeth Fremantle on Facebook and Twitter
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Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight. |
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New Release Spotlight: TAMED by Emma Chase
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TAMED: The Tangled Series by Emma Chase (Romance)
In the third unforgettable book by New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase, Matthew Fisher --- the best friend of Drew Evans from TANGLED and TWISTED --- wants to settle down, but he’ll have to overcome the mistrust of the vividly unique Dee Dee Warren. Included is a bonus short story, "Holy Frigging Matrimony!"
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: girl meets player, they fall in love, player changes his ways.
It’s a good story. But it’s not our story. Ours is a lot more colorful.
When I met Dee, I knew right away that she was special. When she met me, she thought I was anything but special --- I was exactly like every other guy who’d screwed her over and let her down. It took some time to convince her otherwise, but it turns out I can make a convincing argument when sex is at stake.
You might know where this story’s headed. But the best part isn't where we ended up.
It’s how we got there.
TAMED releases on July 15th.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Emma Chase’s bio.
-Click here to visit Emma Chase’s official website.
-Connect with Emma Chase on Facebook and Twitter
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Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight. |
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Sports Feature: 2014 All-Star Baseball Titles
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The All-Star Game takes place in Minnesota on July 15th. While your favorite player may not have been selected for the roster, there is no shortage of All-Star-caliber books to take your mind off the disappointment. In his latest baseball books roundup, Bookreporter.com’s Ron Kaplan takes a look at three you’ll want to consider reading: THE YANKEE WAY, Willie Randolph’s long-awaited memoir in which he shares stories from life in New York Yankee pinstripes, opening up about the team that raised him and the city that molded him; THROWBACK, an insider’s view of the game from the perspective of All-Star catcher Jason Kendall; and I DON’T CARE IF WE NEVER GET BACK, an account of Ben Blatt and Eric Brewster's optimal baseball road trip: visiting all 30 Major League ballparks in a span of 30 days, taking in a full ballgame at each.
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Click here to read Ron Kaplan’s roundup of All-Star baseball titles. |
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Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading Contests and Feature
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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 are hosting a number of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days throughout the summer, so you have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, July 14th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include:
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Click here to read all the contest details and see our featured titles. |
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One to Watch Author Spotlight: THE SPARK AND THE DRIVE by Wayne Harrison
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THE SPARK AND THE DRIVE by Wayne Harrison (Fiction)
Justin Bailey is 17 when he arrives at the shop of legendary muscle car mechanic Nick Campbell. Anguished and out of place among the students at his rural Connecticut high school, Justin finds in Nick, his captivating wife Mary Ann, and their world of miraculous machines the sense of family he has struggled to find at home.
But when Nick and Mary Ann’s lives are struck by tragedy, Justin’s own world is upended. Suddenly Nick, once celebrated for his mechanical genius, has lost his touch. Mary Ann, once tender and compassionate to her husband, has turned distant. As Justin tries to prop up his suffering mentor, he finds himself drawn toward the man’s grieving wife. Torn apart by feelings of betrayal, Justin must choose between the man he admires more than his own father and the woman he loves.
THE SPARK AND THE DRIVE releases on July 15th.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Wayne Harrison’s bio.
-Click here to visit Wayne Harrison's official website.
-Click here to connect with Wayne Harrison on Facebook.
-Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
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Click here to read more in our One to Watch Author Spotlight. |
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More Reviews This Week
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FRIENDSHIP by Emily Gould (Fiction)
Bev Tunney and Amy Schein have been best friends for years; now, at 30, they’re at a crossroads. Bev is stuck in circumstances that would have barely passed for bohemian in her mid-20s: temping, living with roommates, drowning in student-loan debt. Amy is still riding the tailwinds of her early success, but her habit of burning bridges is finally catching up to her. And now Bev is pregnant. As Bev and Amy are dragged into real adulthood, they have to face the possibility that growing up might mean growing apart. Reviewed by Donna Smallwood.
CALIFORNIA by Edan Lepucki (Post-Apocalyptic Fiction)
It’s the 2050s, and Cal and Frida, married refugees from a California devastated by earthquakes, live in a shack in the northwest US. When their neighbors are poisoned and the couple learns that Frida is pregnant, Cal and Frida venture toward a nearby settlement run by “Spike People,” a collective that has secured its borders with tall metal spikes, in the hope that the group will protect them from pirates that ravage the countryside. Reviewed by Michael Magras.
THE DEAD WILL TELL: A Kate Burkholder Novel by Linda Castillo (Mystery)
All of Painters Mill knows the Hochstetler farm is haunted, but only a handful remember the terrible secrets lost in time. When Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates an apparent suicide, evidence quickly points to murder, and Kate follows an elusive trail toward a tragedy from long ago. Meanwhile, Kate has moved in with state agent John Tomasetti, who is drawn into his own haunted past when a man responsible for the murder of his family is found not guilty. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE FEVER by Megan Abbott (Psychological Thriller)
The Nash family is close-knit. However, their seeming stability is thrown into chaos when Deenie's best friend is struck by a terrifying, unexplained seizure in class. Rumors of a hazardous outbreak spread through the family, school and community. As hysteria and contagion swell, a series of tightly held secrets emerges, threatening to unravel friendships, families and the town's fragile idea of security. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
THE LONG MARS by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter (Science Fiction)
In the years after the cataclysmic Yellowstone eruption, there is massive economic dislocation as populations flee Datum Earth to myriad Long Earth worlds. Sally, Joshua and Lobsang are all involved in this perilous rescue work when Sally is contacted by her long-vanished father. He tells her he is planning a fantastic voyage across the Long Mars and wants her to accompany him. But Sally soon learns that he has an ulterior motive for his request. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
SUPREME JUSTICE by Max Allan Collins (Thriller)
Is a mastermind mounting an unprecedented judicial coup aimed at replacing ultra-conservative justices with a new liberal majority? To crack the conspiracy and save the lives of not just the justices but also Secret Service agent Joseph Reeder’s own family, FBI agent Patti Rogers and legendary investigator Reeder must push their skills --- and themselves --- to the limit. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
LIBERTY'S TORCH: The Great Adventure to Build the Statue of Liberty by Elizabeth Mitchell (History)
The Statue of Liberty has become one of the most recognizable monuments in the world: a symbol of freedom and the American Dream. But the story of the creation of the statue has been obscured by myth. In reality, she was the inspiration of one quixotic French sculptor hungry for fame and adoration. LIBERTY'S TORCH tells the story of an artist, entrepreneur and inventor who fought against all odds to create this wonder of the modern world. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
THE VISITORS by Sally Beauman (Historical Fiction)
When 11-year-old Lucy Payne journeys from England to Egypt to visit the pyramids in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, she has no idea that what is meant to be merely a recuperative getaway is really a life-changing journey that will provide her with her greatest joys and darkest tragedies during the course of her considerable lifetime. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
NOBODY IS EVER MISSING by Catherine Lacey (Fiction)
Without telling her family, Elyria takes a one-way flight to New Zealand, abruptly leaving her stable but unfulfilling life in Manhattan. Haunted by her sister’s death and consumed by an inner violence, her growing rage remains so expertly concealed that those who meet her sense nothing unwell. This discord between her inner and outer reality leads her to another obsession: If her truest self is invisible and unknowable to others, is she even alive? Reviewed by Damian Van Denburgh.
TOMORROW AND TOMORROW by Thomas Sweterlitsch (Science Fiction/Noir Mystery)
A decade has passed since the city of Pittsburgh was reduced to ash. While the rest of the world has moved on, survivor John Dominic Blaxton remains obsessed with the past. Grieving for his wife and unborn child who perished in the blast, Dominic relives his lost life by immersing in the Archive --- a fully interactive digital reconstruction of Pittsburgh, accessible to anyone who wants to visit the places they remember and the people they loved. Reviewed by L. Whitney Richardson.
LAST NIGHT AT THE BLUE ANGEL by Rebecca Rotert (Historical Fiction)
Set against the backdrop of the early 1960s Chicago jazz scene, LAST NIGHT AT THE BLUE ANGEL is Rebecca Rotert's debut novel about a talented but troubled singer, her precocious 10-year-old daughter, and their heartbreaking relationship. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
BLISS HOUSE by Laura Benedict (Mystery/Horror)
Rainey Bliss Adams desperately needed a new start when she and her daughter, Ariel, settled into the house where the Bliss family had lived for over a century. It isn’t long before Ariel sees haunting visions: the ghost of her father, and the ghost of a woman being pushed to her death. And then there is a death the night of the housewarming party. Who is the murderer in the midst of this small town? And who killed the woman in Ariel's visions? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub. |
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Our Latest Poll: Pre-ordering Books
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Do you pre-order books?
Yes, always
Yes, sometimes
No
No, I reserve books from the library.
I do not buy books.
Approximately how far in advance do you typically pre-order a book from your favorite author?
Days before the book releases
1 week
2 weeks
3 weeks
1 month
2-4 months
5-6 months
More than 6 months
I do not pre-order books.
I do not pre-order books, though I do reserve them from the library.
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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 July 11th to July 25th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of CLOSE YOUR EYES, HOLD HANDS by Chris Bohjalian, LANDLINE by Rainbow Rowell and WAYFARING STRANGER by James Lee Burke.
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 this 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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