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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
September 19, 2014 |
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Ahhhh September…
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As I am typing today, my fingers are cold; I forgot what it felt like when it’s 62 degrees in the house, but I refuse to succumb to turning on the heat. Tom has a terrific solar cover solution on our odd-shaped pool (two circles that look like bubble wrap), so we may be able to pull off a couple of more weeks in the water. I fell up the stairs in early May and damaged something in my shoulder, so it’s been water aerobics and water running for me all summer, but I love it. Wendy Corsi Staub told me about a waterproof iPod, which you can see above. Pretty cool, right? We are going to interview Wendy about her audiobook listening via this device in the next few weeks. For us readers, extending reading time to the water is great!
This afternoon, Eric on our staff sent me a link to a Wall Street Journal article about reading. “Once a week, members of a Wellington, New Zealand, book club arrive at a cafe, grab a drink and shut off their cell phones. Then they sink into cozy chairs and read in silence for an hour. The point of the club isn't to talk about literature, but to get away from pinging electronic devices and read, uninterrupted. The group calls itself the Slow Reading Club, and it is at the forefront of a movement populated by frazzled book lovers who miss old-school reading.” I love this concept. You can read the article here. It’s something to share with non-readers!
Our DVR has been whirring this week as we watch “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History” on PBS. We have watched some, but my proclivity to multi-task doing email while watching had me asking way too many questions, such as “Who is that?” I love programming where I can submerge myself into the story and get a sweeping view of history, and clearly will watch when I have more time. I am used to devouring programming in one-hour chunks, thus the two-hour segments are taking some adjusting to. You also can view this via the PBS site or via Netflix discs. I have been enjoying the accompanying book, which is a great way to read more and refresh what you have seen. You can relax...there will not be a pop quiz next week.
Speaking of history, Ken Follett has released the stunning conclusion to his Century Trilogy, EDGE OF ETERNITY. Following five families --- American, German, Russian, English and Welsh --- as they make their way through the 20th century, the series concludes during the tumultuous period between the 1960s and 1980s. Characters including East German teacher Rebecca Hoffman, biracial Cameron Dewar, and young aide to Khrushchev Dimka Dvorkin find themselves entangled with one another as the Soviet Union and the United States race to the brink of nuclear war.
Our reviewer, Roz Shea, thought so highly of the finale that she ponders in her review, “Perhaps we can look forward to a fourth novel in the future. One can only hope that Follett, at a youthful and productive 65 years of age, will continue to thrill us --- and is taking notes as our present unfolds to become our past.” I have to get my hands on this one for my husband, who enjoyed the first two books enormously.
Teenager Holly Sykes battles to find a balance between psychic phenomena and reality in David Mitchell’s THE BONE CLOCKS. As a child, Holly was once contacted by voices she called “the radio people,” but at 15 she has become a lightning rod for dangerous mystics --- and their enemies. When she runs away from home, her visions begin to alter her reality until her life becomes a terrifying nightmare. But this horrifying revelation is only the prelude to a shocking disappearance that permanently scars her family. This unsolved mystery will echo through every decade of Holly’s life, affecting all the people Holly loves and entangling her with various characters who each will have a part to play in this invisible war on the margins of her world.
Sarah Rachel Egelman has our review and calls THE BONE CLOCKS “one of those wonderful novels that remind us that big literature can also be playful and a bit wacky, too” and “an entertaining tour through the complicated labyrinths of love, affection, desire and loyalty.” I had the pleasure of hearing David Mitchell speak about this book at BEA; it was wonderful to hear his joy about the art of storytelling.
A few weeks ago, I wrote to share how much I enjoyed THE PAYING GUESTS by Sarah Waters. She was in New York this week and did an event at a New York Barnes & Noble store, and I am so sorry that I was unable to make this event. In this book, readers take a journey to tense 1920s London. Amidst the unemployed and hungry masses demanding a change, widowed Mrs. Wray and her spinster daughter, Frances, are obliged to take in lodgers in their Camberwell villa. Enter Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the “clerk class.” Their arrival soon shakes up the routines of the house in unexpected ways, particularly for Frances. As passions mount and frustration gathers, the disturbances will alter Frances’s life in disturbing --- and surprisingly far-reaching --- ways. According to reviewer Terry Miller Shannon, THE PAYING GUESTS “grabbed me by the throat immediately and would not leave me alone until I had devoured every word. In other words, it is the very definition of a gripping page-turner.”
I’m excited to share that our Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book feature is back with our latest title, THE MAGICIAN’S LIE, a debut novel by Greer Macallister. The Amazing Arden is the most famous female illusionist of her day, notorious for her dangerous trick of sawing a man in half on stage. During one performance, with young policeman Virgil Holt watching from the audience, Arden swaps her trademark saw for a fire ax. At first it is unclear if the switch marks a new version of the illusion or very real murder. But when Arden's husband is found dead beneath the stage, the answer seems obvious. Under Holt's interrogation, Arden’s story reveals details both unbelievable and spellbinding. Now it is up to Holt to see through the smoke and mirrors, and decide whether to turn Arden in or set her free. I am reading it and enjoying how the mystery is unfolding. Nancy Simpson-Brice, one of our readers, as well as a bookseller and founder of The Book Vault in Iowa, whose taste I trust, gave it a rave quote that spurred me to want to pick it up. So I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say about it.
THE MAGICIAN’S LIE doesn’t release until January 13th, but we have 100(!) advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by December 5th. You MUST be able to comment by that date to be eligible. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 2nd at noon ET.
This week in our Fall Preview contests, we gave away THE MATHEMATICIAN’S SHIVA by Stuart Rojstaczer. Next week, we’ll be featuring two 24-hour contests, where five readers will be awarded a copy of THE HIGH DIVIDE by Lin Enger, while five others will win ROOMS by Lauren Oliver. We’re sending a special newsletter to announce each day's title; if you’re not signed up yet to receive the Fall Preview newsletter, please do so here. If you have problems signing up, please send a note to John@bookreporter.com, and he will handle this for you. Our first prize book of the week will be announced on Monday the 22nd at noon ET.
Our History Books roundup for September has been updated. Among this month’s featured titles are THE ROOSEVELTS: An Intimate History by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns, KILLING PATTON: The Strange Death of World War II's Most Audacious General by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard, DEATH OF A KING: The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Final Year by Tavis Smiley and David Ritz, and SUCH TROOPS AS THESE: The Genius and Leadership of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson by Bevin Alexander.
Our latest staff-curated bookshelf, “Vive la France!” displays 20 fiction and nonfiction titles that are all about France. From must-read books for the foodie and tips on living the French lifestyle to some of the country's most iconic and established writers, there's a wide range of accessible texts for the wannabe Francophile. This bookshelf was inspired by our own Nicole Sherman’s trip to Paris this weekend --- she’s spending 72 hours in Paris, and I think the country will never been the same after her visit! She joked that she is bringing us all berets!
When it comes to book-to-screen adaptations, what do you typically do? Do you read the book first, and then see the movie? Do you see the movie first, and then read the book? Or maybe you usually do one and not the other? Please let us know what you do in our latest poll!
In our previous poll, we wanted to know about your newspaper reading habits. 51% of you read both print and digital newspapers, while 32% only read print newspapers. We also wanted to know which national newspapers you read. It turns out 48% of you don’t read The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal or USA Today in either print or digital format. Clearly the ads for books in those publications are not on your radar, which is good for us to know and share. Click here for all the results.
We have a new Word of Mouth contest going up this week. Let us know by Friday, October 3rd at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading, and you’ll have the chance to win THE ASSASSINATION OF MARGARET THATCHER: Stories by Hilary Mantel, THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACE: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League by Jeff Hobbs (which was a BookExpo America [BEA] Buzz title) and A SUDDEN LIGHT by Garth Stein.
The National Book Foundation has announced the longlists for the 2014 National Book Award in four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry and Young People's Literature. The finalists will be revealed on October 15th, and the winners in each of the categories will be announced on November 19th.
Tom and I are going to see This is Where I Leave You tonight. We both read --- and loved --- the book! I will let you know what we think next week. Greg is headed to Connecticut and Rhode Island to run a lighthouse trip for the New England Lighthouse Lovers. He is a terrific tour organizer and planner, so these folks are in for quite a treat. My dad’s 85th birthday is Monday, but with Greg traveling, we are waiting until next weekend to celebrate! Such a milestone!
I've been listening to THE GOLDFINCH on audio this week; what an absolutely stellar production it is. I was at an industry event and ran into my friend, Tracy, and we were talking about how brilliant David Pittu is as a narrator. He handles each character’s voice wonderfully and summons up his acting talent for the performance. By the way, we just about have our expanded audio coverage plans lined up, so expect to see much, much more from us about this format in the weeks and months ahead. I have seriously augmented my reading time by listening, and for those of you not listening already, we are going to guide you on how to explore this experience.
I have been reading and enjoying NOBODY’S CHILD by Libby Fischer Hellmann, which was one of our Paperback Spotlight titles a few weeks ago. I agree with Publishers Weekly, the trade magazine, which said, “Hellmann ratchets up the tension with each chapter, and the reader is constantly kept wondering about the fate of both sisters.” This is the fourth in her series, but reads very well without having read the rest of the series.
To our Jewish readers, Happy New Year…and enjoy Rosh Hashanah.
Read on…and here’s to a great week ahead.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com) |
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Now in Stores: EDGE OF ETERNITY by Ken Follett
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EDGE OF ETERNITY: Book Three of the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett (Historical Fiction)
Ken Follett’s Century Trilogy follows the fortunes of five intertwined families --- American, German, Russian, English and Welsh --- as they make their way through the 20th century. EDGE OF ETERNITY, the finale, covers one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the 1960s through the 1980s, encompassing civil rights, assassinations, Vietnam, the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolution --- and rock and roll. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
-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: THE BONE CLOCKS by David Mitchell
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THE BONE CLOCKS by David Mitchell (Metaphysical Thriller)
Following a terrible fight with her mother over her boyfriend, 15-year-old Holly Sykes slams the door on her family and her old life. Now, as she wanders deeper into the English countryside, visions and coincidences reorder her reality until they assume the aura of a nightmare brought to life. For Holly has caught the attention of a cabal of dangerous mystics --- and their enemies. But her lost weekend is merely the prelude to a shocking disappearance that leaves her family irrevocably scarred. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
-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: STONE MATTRESS by Margaret Atwood
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STONE MATTRESS: Nine Tales by Margaret Atwood (Fiction/Short Stories)
Margaret Atwood turns to short fiction for the first time since her 2006 collection, MORAL DISORDER, with nine tales of acute psychological insight and turbulent relationships. A recently widowed fantasy writer is guided through a stormy winter evening by the voice of her late husband in "Alphinland," the first of three loosely linked stories about the romantic geometries of a group of writers and artists. 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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Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book --- Our Latest Featured Title: THE MAGICIAN’S LIE by Greer Macallister
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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 MAGICIAN'S LIE by Greer Macallister, a debut novel in which the country's most notorious female illusionist stands accused of her husband's murder --- and she has only one night to convince a small-town policeman of her innocence. The book doesn’t release until January 13th, but we have 100 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by Friday, December 5th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 2nd 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 MAGICIAN'S LIE and give us your feedback before our December 5th deadline. We take these project deadlines seriously. If not, don’t worry…we will have more opportunities like this in the future.
THE MAGICIAN’S LIE by Greer Macallister (Historical Mystery)
The Amazing Arden is the most notorious female illusionist of her day, renowned for sawing a man in half. One night, with policeman Virgil Holt in the audience, she swaps her saw for a fire ax. A new trick or an all-too-real murder? When a dead body is discovered, the answer seems clear. But under Holt's interrogation, what Arden’s story reveals is both unbelievable and spellbinding. Even handcuffed and alone, she is far from powerless. During one eerie night, Holt must decide whether to turn Arden in or set her free...and it will take all he has to see through the smoke and mirrors.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read Greer Macallister’s bio.
-Click here to visit Greer Macallister’s official website.
-Connect with Greer Macallister on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Sneak Peek feature and enter the contest. |
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Now in Stores: THE PAYING GUESTS by Sarah Waters
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THE PAYING GUESTS by Sarah Waters (Historical Fiction)
It is 1922, and London is tense. Ex-servicemen are disillusioned; the out-of-work and the hungry are demanding change. And in South London, in a genteel Camberwell villa, life is about to be transformed as impoverished widow Mrs. Wray and her spinster daughter, Frances, are obliged to take in lodgers. With the arrival of Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the “clerk class,” the routines of the house will be shaken up in unexpected ways. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
-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: PERFIDIA by James Ellroy
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PERFIDIA by James Ellroy (Historical Fiction)
America stands at the brink of World War II. Los Angeles has been a haven for loyal Japanese-Americans --- but now, war fever and race hate grip the city, and the Japanese internment begins. The hellish murder of a Japanese family summons three men and one woman. The investigation throws them together and rips them apart. The crime becomes a political storm center that illuminates these four driven souls --- comrades, rivals, lovers, history’s pawns. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-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: THE GOLEM OF HOLLYWOOD by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman
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THE GOLEM OF HOLLYWOOD by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman (Supernatural Mystery)
Newly reassigned to a Special Projects squad he didn’t even know existed, Detective Jacob Lev is sent to a murder scene far up in the hills of Hollywood Division. There is no body, only an unidentified head lying on the floor of a house. Seared into a kitchen counter nearby is a single word: the Hebrew for justice. All that Detective Lev has believed to be true will be upended --- and not only his world, but the world itself, will be changed. 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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Bookreporter.com’s Fall Preview Contests and Feature
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Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. To celebrate the arrival of fall, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about in the days and months to come.
We will be hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days in September and October, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also will be 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, September 22nd 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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Bookreporter.com’s Latest Bookshelf: 20 Books to Vive la France!
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When we think about France, the first thing that comes to mind --- maybe after berets and fries and the Eiffel Tower --- is really stunning literature. Let’s face it, the French have a certain je ne sais quoi that seems to have eluded the rest of us. Et voilà, in célébration of all things français, we’ve put together a bookshelf of some of our favorite French works. The top shelf is a culinary concoction, because no roundup would be complete without le food. Below it, we’re featuring nonfiction and autobiographies, because we’re pretty sure the French invented the memoir (don’t look it up). And, of course, we have fiction --- either written by French authors or authors whose hearts overflow(ed) with love for the country, like the water of the Seine in 1910. Take a look at our crème de la crème of French literature --- and make sure not to mix up your Madelines and madeleines. As Proust would say: Ouiiiiiii!
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Click here for our “Vive la France” bookshelf. |
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Bookreporter.com's History Books Roundup for September
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September’s roundup of History titles includes THE ROOSEVELTS: An Intimate History, Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns’s companion volume to the seven-part PBS documentary series, which presents an intimate history of Theodore, Eleanor and Franklin Delano Roosevelt and features a whopping 796 photographs (some of which have never been seen before); Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard’s KILLING PATTON, which takes readers inside the final year of World War II and recounts the events surrounding General George S. Patton’s tragic demise, naming names of the many powerful individuals who wanted him silenced; DEATH OF A KING, Tavis Smiley and David Ritz’s revealing and dramatic chronicle of the 12 months leading up to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination; and SUCH TROOPS AS THESE, in which acclaimed military historian Bevin Alexander offers a fresh analysis of Stonewall Jackson’s military genius and reveals how the Civil War might have ended differently if Jackson’s strategies had been adopted.
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Click here to see our History Books roundup for September. |
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New Guides Now Available on ReadingGroupGuides.com
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The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
DE POTTER'S GRAND TOUR by Joanna Scott (Fiction)
DE POTTER'S GRAND TOUR is a gripping novel about a seemingly charmed marriage and a mysterious disappearance at sea.
THE DESIRE: The Restoration Series, Book 3 by Dan Walsh and Gary Smalley (Romance)
She’s desperate for a baby, he wants to save orphans halfway around the world. Will their faith help them build a bridge between their dreams?
DOLLBABY by Laura Lane McNeal (Historical Fiction)
A sweeping family saga of Southern eccentricities and secrets set against the backdrop of civil-rights era New Orleans, DOLLBABY weaves together the lives of five women who prove family can be found where you least expect it.
DR. MUTTER'S MARVELS: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz (Biography)
DR. MUTTER'S MARVELS is a mesmerizing biography of the brilliant and eccentric medical innovator who revolutionized American surgery and founded the country’s most famous museum of medical oddities.
THE GARDEN OF LETTERS by Alyson Richman (Historical Fiction)
Brand-new from the author of THE LOST WIFE comes the engrossing story of a young cellist drawn into the Italian Resistance during World War II.
NOT FADE AWAY: A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found by Rebecca Alexander (Memoir)
Even a darkening world can be brilliantly lit from within. NOT FADE AWAY is the inspirational story of a courageous woman gradually losing her hearing and sight, but continuing to live each day with optimism and purpose.
THE PATRON SAINT OF UGLY by Marie Manilla (Fiction)
Grace Ferrari sets out to prove that she is not a saint by spinning the tale of her family's tangled history of love, deception and transcendence --- learning along the way that the line between myth and reality is not always clear.
A QUILT FOR CHRISTMAS by Sandra Dallas (Historical Fiction)
From New York Times bestselling author Sandra Dallas comes a Christmas novel set during the Civil War in which a woman makes a quilt for her husband and learns about love, grief, forgiveness and healing.
STRINGS ATTACHED: One Tough Teacher and the Gift of Great Expectations by Joanne Lipman and Melanie Kupchynsky (Memoir)
Can one person --- a teacher, mentor, coach --- make all the difference for success in life? STRINGS ATTACHED explores how two women found that one person in the toughest instructor either ever had: the one man who believed in them more than they believed in themselves.
THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY by Wiley Cash (Fiction)
The critically acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME returns with THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY, a resonant novel of love and atonement, blood and vengeance, set in western North Carolina, involving two young sisters, a wayward father and an enemy determined to see him pay for his sins.
UNDER THE WIDE AND STARRY SKY by Nancy Horan (Historical Romance)
From Nancy Horan, the New York Times bestselling author of LOVING FRANK, comes her much-anticipated second novel, which tells the improbable love story of Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson and his tempestuous American wife, Fanny.
THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE by Christina Baker Kline (Fiction)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of ORPHAN TRAIN comes a novel of love, risk and self-discovery.
WE ARE NOT OURSELVES by Matthew Thomas (Fiction)
WE ARE NOT OURSELVES is the sprawling story of Eileen and Ed Leary, a wife and husband drawn apart and together again by their complicated relationship with the American Dream.
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Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com. |
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More Reviews This Week
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THE MARCO EFFECT: A Department Q Novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
All 15-year-old Marco Jameson wants is to become a Danish citizen and go to school like a normal teenager. But his uncle Zola forces the children of his gypsy clan to beg and steal for his personal gain. When Marco discovers a dead body, he goes on the run. Meanwhile, the last thing Detective Carl Mørck needs is for his assistants to pick up a missing persons case on a whim. But when he learns that a mysterious teen named Marco may have as much insight into the case as he has fear of the police, Carl is determined to solve the mystery and save the boy. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
BLOOD ON THE WATER: A William Monk Novel by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
William Monk is witness to the terrible bombing of an afternoon pleasure boat on the river that leaves 200 people dead. An Egyptian man is quickly caught, tried and sentenced to death --- and then just as swiftly murdered in prison. When evidence surfaces that proves the dead man innocent, the case is handed to Monk, who now must rely on his own memory of the event to help piece together what really happened. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE BLOOD OF AN ENGLISHMAN: An Agatha Raisin Mystery by M. C. Beaton (Mystery)
Even though Agatha Raisin loathes amateur dramatics, her friend Mrs. Bloxby, the vicar’s wife, has persuaded her to support the local pantomime. Stifling a yawn at the production of "Babes in the Woods," Agatha watches the baker playing an ogre strut and threaten on the stage, until a trapdoor opens...followed by a scream and then silence. When it turns out that the popular baker has been murdered, Agatha puts her team of private detectives on the case. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
THE EYE OF HEAVEN: A Fargo Adventure by Clive Cussler and Russell Blake (Thriller/Adventure)
Husband-and-wife team Sami and Remi Fargo are on a climate-control expedition in the Arctic when they discover a Viking ship in the ice filled with pre–Columbian artifacts from Mexico. As they plunge into their research, tantalizing clues about a link between the Vikings and the legendary Toltec feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl --- and a fabled object known as the Eye of Heaven --- begin to emerge. But so do many dangerous people. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
THE HUMAN AGE: The World Shaped By Us by Diane Ackerman (Social Science)
In THE HUMAN AGE, Diane Ackerman confronts the unprecedented reality that one prodigiously intelligent and meddlesome creature, Homo sapiens, is now the dominant force shaping the future of planet Earth. She takes us on an exhilarating journey through our new reality, introducing us to many of the people and ideas now creating --- perhaps saving --- our future and that of our fellow creatures. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
RAINEY ROYAL by Dylan Landis (Fiction)
Fourteen-year-old Rainey Royal lives with her father, a jazz musician with a cultish personality, in a now-decaying brownstone. Her mother has abandoned the family, and Rainey fends off advances from her father's best friend while trying desperately to nurture her own creative drives and build a substitute family. She's fighting to figure out how to put back in place the boundaries her life has knocked down, and struggling to learn how to be an artist and a person in a broken world. Reviewed by Vivian Payton.
BEYOND THE PALE MOTEL by Francesca Lia Block (Mystery)
Maternal, sexy Catt and her beautiful, daring best friend, Bree, are hairdressers at an L.A. salon called Head Hunter, and work out at a gym called Body Farm. They have over a decade of sobriety behind them and are getting close to living the lives they've always wanted. But when Catt's husband, Dash, leaves her, and then her neighbor is brutally murdered, possibly by a man being called the Hollywood Serial Killer, Catt's world begins to come crashing down. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
CRY FATHER by Benjamin Whitmer (Fiction)
Patterson Wells works alongside dangerous, desperate itinerant men as a tree clearer in disaster zones, and he’s still dealing with the loss of his young son. Writing letters to the boy offers solace, but the bottle gives more. In Colorado, Patterson stops to go fishing with an old acquaintance, only to find him in a meth-induced delirium with a woman tied up in the bathtub. Patterson tries to do the right thing, but in the lives of those he knows, violence and justice are strange, intoxicating bedfellows. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
DRAW IN THE DUNES: The 1969 Ryder Cup and the Finish That Shocked the World by Neil Sagebiel (Sports/History)
The definitive account of the landmark 1969 Ryder Cup in which Jack Nicklaus's startling concession of the final hole resulted in the first draw in the Cup’s history, DRAW IN THE DUNES is a story of personal and professional conflict, from the nervousness at the very beginning of the Ryder Cup --- when one man could not tee his golf ball --- to the nerve displayed by Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin, who battled each other up to the final moment of the final match. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
RICKEY & ROBINSON: The True, Untold Story of the Integration of Baseball by Roger Kahn (Sports/History)
Legendary sportswriter Roger Kahn at last reveals the true, unsanitized account of the integration of baseball, a story that for decades has relied on inaccurate, second-hand reports. This story contains exclusive reporting and personal reminiscences that no other writer can produce, including revelatory material he’d buried in his notebooks in the '40s and '50s, back when sportswriters were still known to "protect" players and baseball executives. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
FOOL’S ASSASSIN: Book One of the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy by Robin Hobb (Fantasy)
FitzChivalry --- royal bastard and former king's assassin --- has left his life of intrigue at Buckkeep far behind. As far as the rest of the world knows, FitzChivalry Farseer is dead. Masquerading as Tom Badgerlock, Fitz is now married and leading the quiet life of a country squire with his beloved Molly. The only problem is the disappearance of his beloved childhood friend, the Fool. But for a former royal assassin, a quiet life is hard to maintain when old allegiances keep trying to pull him back and new enemies come calling. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard. |
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Our Latest Poll: Book-to-Screen Adaptations
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When it comes to book-to-screen adaptations, what do you typically do?
I read the book before I see the movie in theaters.
I read the book before I see the movie on DVD or on a streaming site.
I read the book after I see the movie in theaters.
I read the book after I see the movie on DVD or on a streaming site.
I either read the book or see the movie, but not both.
I do not watch movies.
I am not sure what I do.
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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 September 19th to October 3rd, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE ASSASSINATION OF MARGARET THATCHER: Stories by Hilary Mantel, THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACE: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League by Jeff Hobbs, and A SUDDEN LIGHT by Garth Stein.
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, your review WILL NOT be posted if you have not finished the book.
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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