September 26, 2014

Last night was sports night at our house as Tom feverishly clicked back and forth between the Yankees and Giants games. Derek Jeter’s last home game could not have been scripted any better. I was taking very careful notes about his walk-off RBI single in case I ever get to meet him in his new role running Jeter Publishing. I think it’s pretty cool that books are his next play.

I got to have lunch this week with an author whose work I have enjoyed for years, Masha Hamilton. I had not seen her in a long time. Last fall, she wrapped up a 16-month assignment where she worked in Afghanistan as Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy at the US Embassy. She had lost a team member when she was there, and talking to her about her time overseas underscored to me how lucky we are to live where we do. Her last book, 31 HOURS, was a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, and I am now wrapping myself around her latest book, WHAT CHANGES EVERYTHING. Masha's fiction is powerful as she has spent time where her stories come from, and she writes from the heart. I found this piece online on the backstory that inspired this latest novel, which will be available in paperback on October 14th.

A few months ago, I read Jeff Hobbs’s book, THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACE: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League, and I have not stopped talking about it since I read it. To me, it’s not just the story of Robert Peace, but also a commentary on the racial divide in this country, as well as a background history on the downfall of the inner city. Jeff sets the landscape that is the important backdrop to Rob's story.

Born in Newark to a hardworking but poverty-stricken mother and a father whose luck ran out early, young Robert Peace had significant obstacles to overcome. But, gifted with superior intelligence, Rob managed to get accepted to Yale, where he studied molecular biochemistry and biophysics. Unfortunately, the collision of these two very different worlds would prove fatal for him as he began to use his education to perfect a new variety of marijuana and become a sort of lowlife entrepreneur. His bizarre double life ultimately led to his demise when he was gunned down at the young age of 30. None of the above is a spoiler; you knew this story was not ending well from the title. Jeff was his college roommate, and upon hearing of Rob’s death, he set out to tell the story of his life, to sort out what went wrong along the way.

I interviewed Jeff during BookExpo America (BEA) as this book was a BEA Buzz selection. Before that interview, we spent an hour on the phone one afternoon talking about the book and the issues it raised. My parents had grown up in Newark, though they were gone by the mid-1950s; my younger son goes to college there. One of the incidents that Jeff writes about that occurred when Rob was in high school took place on streets that I have traveled down going to visit Cory at school. It’s a book I cannot get out of my head.

According to reviewer Barbara Bamberger Scott, the book “crackles with cinematic surrealism, projecting a sense of the eerie anonymity of the man Robert Peace seemed to be and could have been, but maybe never was.” I strongly encourage you to read this book, which will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection next week.

On a lighter note, bestselling YA novelist Lauren Oliver makes her adult debut with ROOMS. Following the death of wealthy Richard Walker, his estranged family convenes in his country house to collect their inheritance --- but they aren’t the only ones. The home is haunted by long-dead former residents Alice and Sandra. As the ghosts watch the Walker family, they speak through the house in creaking stairs and dimming lights. But when a new ghost arrives and opens communication with one of the Walkers, the spirit and human worlds collide with explosive results.

Reviewer Sam Glass has much praise for ROOMS: “By turns funny and elegiac, the story grows outward to accommodate its increasing complexity. The presence of Sandra and Alice make it a bonafide ghost story, but like any good supernatural tale, Lauren Oliver’s novel is less concerned with 'how' and more concerned with 'why.'”

I love to hear authors talk about their work, and I love fabulous parties. I got both on Tuesday night. First up, Lauren spoke about and read from ROOMS. She loves big old houses and always thinks about those who lived in them in the past, and that kind of enthusiasm found its way into this story. A compulsive writer who works at her craft EVERY day, she’s pushed herself to a new level with ROOMS. After the reading, we headed over to a wonderful soiree; the kind of evening that used to be de rigueur for publishing and now has become a rare treat. Cocktails were inspired by the book. The first was called “The Raven Heliotrope” and was bourbon-based, while the second was called “Fire in the Attic” and was Mezcal-based with some slices of pepper on top. I am not a big drinker, so "Fire in the Attic" became “fire on my tongue.” Great evening!

This week, we continue our Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book feature for THE MAGICIAN’S LIE, Greer Macallister’s debut novel that’s being described as “WATER FOR ELEPHANTS meets THE NIGHT CIRCUS.” Here, 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. I am having a delight of a time trying to unravel the mystery in this book. The writing is tantalizing. Just when I think I have it figured out, the story pivots. 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 the book and sharing their comments on it by December 5th. You MUST be able to give your feedback by that date to be eligible. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 2nd at noon ET.

As we continue to explore the world of audiobooks, we bring you our newest Bookreporter.com feature, “Sounding Off on Audio,” where we interview listeners about their love of audiobooks. Find out what they listen to, who their favorite narrators are, why they enjoy audiobooks, and much more. Whether you are a seasoned listener of audiobooks or have only a passing curiosity, we hope that you find these interviews to be fun and informative --- and perhaps come across a title or two that you can add to your audiobook listening list.

We kick off the feature with New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub, who was happy to answer our questions about her audiobook preferences --- and to fill us in on her Waterproof iPod Shuffle, which allows her to listen to books as she swims. Click here to read the interview. Many thanks to Wendy for taking time out of her busy schedule to help us launch this exciting new feature.

Are you an audiobook aficionadowho would like to be interviewed? Then shoot me a note at Carol@bookreporter.com with the subject line “Audiobook Lover!”

Fans of the seemingly immortal Easy Rawlins will be delighted to know that Walter Mosley has released ROSE GOLD, the latest mystery in the series. Los Angeles is sent into frenzy when Uhuru Nolica, ex-boxer and leader of a revolutionary cell called Scorched Earth, kidnaps Rosemary Goldsmith, the daughter of a weapons manufacturer. Claiming that they will murder “Rose Gold” publicly and brutally if their demands are not met, Scorched Earth forces the FBI, State Department and the LAPD to turn to private eye Easy Rawlins to resolve the perilous standoff.

Joe Hartlaub praises the book’s setting in his review: "1967 was a tumultuous time, politically and culturally, and ROSE GOLD will take you there with both feet. I felt as if I was moving back in time, for better and worse, as I read it.”

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Matt Richtel explores technology’s strong grip on the human mind and society in A DEADLY WANDERING: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption in the Age of Attention. Richtel follows the story of Utah college student Reggie Shaw, who killed two scientists in a vehicular accident when he was texting while driving. Following the tragedy, Reggie became a leading advocate against “distracted driving.” Richtel combines Reggie’s story with cutting-edge scientific findings about human attention and offers readers practical solutions to manage this growing issue.

Alexis Burling has our review and calls the book “a thought-provoking examination of technology’s impact on human behavior.” She adds: “Matt Richtel doesn’t preach, and A DEADLY WANDERING doesn’t pretend to give us all the answers. But it does give us pause for thought. Next time, maybe think twice about picking up the phone while behind the wheel.” I heard Matt present at BEA, and his description of the accident was stunning --- and the intrepid investigator who worked doggedly to get at the truth made me want to stand and cheer. Reggie will be forever scarred by these moments. The New York Times review said it should be required reading for high school students. I think it should be for anyone who carries a phone.

Travel to the vast plains of Minnesota with THE HIGH DIVIDE by Lin Enger, which was one of our Fall Preview titles this week. In this novel set in 1886, Gretta Pope wakes one morning to discover that her husband, Ulysses, is missing. Gretta’s young sons, Eli and Danny, soon set off to find him, following the few clues he has left behind to the rugged badlands of Montana. Left alone with no money, Gretta has no choice but to follow her family, leading her to the home of a woman intent on stealing Ulysses. The closer Ulysses’s family gets to locating him, the greater the dangers they face.

According to Joe Hartlaub, "Enger’s prose is matter-of-fact and economical. He is in no particular rush to get his reader to any specific point, and yet the story moves quickly; one is never certain what is going to happen next. THE HIGH DIVIDE is also shot through with a quiet irony." It's on my reading pile!

The tiny works of an enigmatic artist begin to eerily mirror their real-life counterparts in Jessie Burton’s debut novel, THE MINIATURIST. When 18-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of merchant trader Johannes Brandt, she does not receive the warm welcome she expected. But Johannes’s wedding gift of a cabinet-sized replica of their home changes everything. Nella hires a miniaturist to help furnish her gift, an act that helps her pierce the closed world of the Brandt household --- and the repressively pious society in which it exists. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand the increasing dangers that await them all.

Jana Siciliano has this to say in her review: “THE MINIATURIST will thrill students of other novels that take place during this period in Amsterdam, like GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING.... [I]t easily could become a smash hit movie, and provocative secrets will make it a book club discussion starter for some time to come.” I had the pleasure of also interviewing Jessie during BEA, as THE MINIATURIST, too, was a BEA Buzz book. She actually built a model for the home that we read about in the book, making me long for my dollhouse, though the furnishings in the book were a lot more opulent than those that I played with.

This week in our Fall Preview contests, we gave away the aforementioned THE HIGH DIVIDE and ROOMS. Next week, we’ll be featuring two 24-hour contests, where five readers will be awarded a copy of THE ASSASSINATION OF MARGARET THATCHER: Stories by Hilary Mantel, while five others will win BRINGING UP BEBE: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman. 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 Tuesday the 30th at noon ET.

We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, reviews we’ve posted recently on our Teenreads.com site that we think you’ll enjoy. This month’s selections are EGG & SPOON by Gregory Maguire, POSITIVE: A Memoir by Paige Rawl (such a great book), ZAC & MIA by A. J. Betts and BEETLE BOY by Margaret Willey.

Our poll question that went up last week continues for one more week. 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? Click here to let us know! Last night, I watched the season opener of "Scandal," and in one of the first few shots was a copy of GONE GIRL next to lead character Olivia Pope. I wonder if Kerry Washington’s character wants to take our poll. For those of you who want to read GONE GIRL before the movie opens, get reading as it hits theaters next Friday, October 3rd.

Also still up is our current Word of Mouth contest. 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 aforementioned THE ASSASSINATION OF MARGARET THATCHER and THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACE, along with A SUDDEN LIGHT by Garth Stein (we’ll be posting our review and author interview next week).

In the world of audio listening, I am just wrapping up disc 5 --- of 26(!) --- of THE GOLDFINCH, which is wonderfully performed. The endless NYC traffic this week generated by the UN General Assembly being in session had me longing for some levity, so we cued up Tina Fey’s BOSSYPANTS. Greg and I could not stop laughing as we sat in traffic. Those in cars around us must have been wondering WHY are those two laughing so hard as neither of them is speaking? This was more productive than the seat dancing with the music blaring that usually takes place on such occasions.

I got to screen the season finale of "Ray Donovan" the other night (it airs this Sunday). I love this series, and the last show of the season is brilliant. I thought the openers of "Scandal" and "The Good Wife" were weak; I want to see if either revives in week two. Both moved too many of the characters out of character for me!

I am lucky enough that both of my parents read this newsletter each week. But last week, this presented a bit of an issue as my mom had planned a surprise family dinner for my dad for his 85th birthday on Saturday night, with my sister and her family flying up from Atlanta to celebrate. Thus I had to drop into the newsletter that we were celebrating this week and invent other plans for last week. By the time Saturday came, I was not even sure what we were doing; I had convinced myself of the alternate plan. You can see a photo of them above; Mom is beaming from surprising him, and Dad is beaming about being surprised.

Tomorrow I am off to the Morristown Book Festival; Tom is off to play golf for three days. I have a lot of reading to do and plan to grab some lounge chair time to make that happen. "Savor the sunlight" is my motto; the bleakness and shorter days are creeping up on us. I see a few leaves on the ground and am ready to glue gun them back onto the trees!

Read on…and have a great week.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

As we continue to explore the world of audiobooks, we bring you our newest Bookreporter.com feature, “Sounding Off on Audio,” where we interview listeners about their love of audiobooks. Find out what they listen to, who their favorite narrators are, why they enjoy audiobooks, and much more. Whether you are a seasoned listener of audiobooks or have only a passing curiosity, we hope that you find these interviews to be fun and informative --- and perhaps come across a title or two that you can add to your audiobook listening list. Whenever possible, we will try to provide samples for your listening pleasure as well.

Our first interview is with New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub, who was happy to answer our questions about her audiobook preferences --- and to fill us in on her Waterproof iPod Shuffle, which allows her to listen to books as she swims. Many thanks to Wendy for taking time out of her busy schedule to help us launch this exciting new feature.

• THE ASSASSINATION OF MARGARET THATCHER: Stories by Hilary Mantel
• BRINGING UP BÉBÉ: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman
• THE CHILDREN ACT by Ian McEwan
• DIRTY ROWDY THING by Christina Lauren
• FIVE DAYS LEFT by Julie Lawson Timmer
• THE HIGH DIVIDE by Lin Enger
• THE MATHEMATICIAN’S SHIVA by Stuart Rojstaczer
• NECESSARY LIES by Diane Chamberlain
• NEVERHOME by Laird Hunt
• THE REMEDY FOR LOVE by Bill Roorbach
• ROOMS by Lauren Oliver

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 also 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:

EGG & SPOON by Gregory Maguire (Fantasy/Adventure)
Elena Rudina lives in the impoverished Russian countryside with her mother, who is slowly dying in their tiny cabin. But then a train arrives in the village, carrying untold wealth, a cornucopia of food, and a noble family that includes Ekaterina, a girl of Elena’s age. When the two girls’ lives collide, an adventure is set in motion, an escapade that includes mistaken identity; a monk locked in a tower; a prince traveling incognito; and Baba Yaga, witch of Russian folklore, in her ambulatory house perched on chicken legs.

POSITIVE: A Memoir by Paige Rawl (Memoir)
Paige Rawl has been HIV positive since birth, but growing up, she never felt like her illness defined her. One day in middle school, she disclosed to a friend her HIV-positive status --- and within hours the bullying began. One night, desperate for escape, 15-year-old Paige found herself in her bathroom staring at a bottle of sleeping pills. That could have been the end of her story. Instead, it was only the beginning. Paige's memoir calls for readers to choose action over complacency, compassion over cruelty --- and, above all, to be Positive.

ZAC & MIA by A. J. Betts (Fiction)
“When I was little I believed in Jesus and Santa, spontaneous combustion, and the Loch Ness monster. Now I believe in science, statistics, and antibiotics.” So says 17-year-old Zac Meier during a long, grueling leukemia treatment in Perth, Australia. A loud blast of Lady Gaga alerts him to the presence of Mia, the angry, not-at-all-stoic cancer patient in the room next door. Once released, the two near-strangers can’t forget each other, even as they desperately try to resume normal lives.

BEETLE BOY by Margaret Willey (Fiction)
When he was seven, Charlie Porter never intended to become the world's youngest published author. He just wanted his father to stop crying. So he told him a story about a talking beetle. But this tale not only made his father stop crying --- it made him start planning. The story became a book, and then it became school events and book festivals, a beetle costume, and a catchphrase: "I was born to write!" Now Charlie is 18, and the beetles still haunt his dreams. The childhood he never really had is about to end...but there's still a chance to have a story of his own.