Skip to main content

April 17, 2015

Bookreporter.com Newsletter April 17, 2015
Fashionable Reading and Reading Ahead...
I got home last night and waiting for me was a copy of the book FASHION LIVES by Fern Mallis. Fern, the award-winning creator of Fashion Week, interviewed designers and fashion journalists in a terrific discussion series at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. This book has transcripts of 19 interviews with legendary personalities such as Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Michael Kors and Bill Cunningham (the latter of whom shoots the great fashion reportage for the New York Times), giving readers inside access to the lives of these industry leaders. Fern does not talk about their collections, but rather taps into childhood inspirations, as well as advice on how to succeed in fashion. The interviews work because she did a lot of research on her subjects in advance!

Jesse Kornbluth, my Bookreporter.com co-founder who now runs HeadButler.com, shares his review with us and raves, “FASHION LIVES is big as a MacBook and heavy as a small barbell, but if you like to read about fashion, you’ll find it as light as an airport page-turner.” I agree from the hour I spent reading last night. Within the review is an interview that Jesse conducted with Fern, who gives readers additional insight into the book and her illustrious career. My friend, Beverley, passed along news from Women’s Wear Daily that “Saks Fifth Avenue is putting Fern Mallis in the spotlight by dedicating 16 of its streetfront windows --- including all of the Fifth Avenue ones --- to her new book…" The book will be stacked up in the displays with select mannequins adorned in designer attire from each of her respective subjects. I will be walking over to see that!

Between BookExpo America and BookCon, I am going to be interviewing NINE authors in the span of two days at the end of May. I am looking forward to this. I have read five of the books, with four more to read, and then I need to prep interview questions for them by the middle of May. I love to read, but now am starting to understand “required reading” for school. IF I pick up anything except these nine books, I have tremendous guilt. I feel like I need to hide those so they are not looking at me as I read “others.” For those of you who are thinking of attending BookCon in New York on Saturday, May 30th and Sunday, May 31st, take note that I will be interviewing Paula McLain, Annie Barrows and Vanessa Diffenbaugh on Saturday from 11-12. The events are not yet listed on the BookCon site, so consider this the inside word!

Since I cannot meet all of you in person, I get to know you via your emails, polls and other comments. Last weekend, I spent some time reading through the “Word of Mouth” comments from the last contest entry period. It was so interesting to see what you were reading --- and what you were saying about what you have read. It’s clear that you have discovered a number of books via Bookreporter.com. For those of you who do not know how Word of Mouth works, here’s the scoop. Let us know by Friday, April 24th at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading (finished is the operative word for your comments to be included; Melanie, our editor on this, is vigilant about that), and you’ll have the chance to win these three titles: BLOOD ON SNOW by Jo Nesbø; MISSOULA: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer, and EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES by Lisa Scottoline. Click here to enter.

And oh, if you have not taken our latest poll, it continues for one more week. The question, ”Over the past year, has television watching interfered with your reading?” I will share my own thoughts on this in next week’s newsletter. Over on ReadingGroupGuides.com, our poll asks which of 15 books your book group has read. In a book group? Then click over here to take the poll.

Also, if any of you know teens and/or twentysomethings (we are looking for folks aged 12-29) who read fantasy books, slip them a link to our YA Fantasy Cover Survey so they can participate here.

Now onward to this week’s update:

Lisa Scottoline exposes a ruthless sociopath in her latest thriller, the aforementioned EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES. As Chief of the Psychiatric Unit at Havemeyer General Hospital, Dr. Eric Parrish runs a tight ship. Even amidst his recent separation from his wife, his unit has just been named number two in the country. But that all changes when he meets 17-year-old Max, a high risk patient battling OCD and violent thoughts about a girl he likes. Although his mental rituals keep him calm, completing them every 15 minutes is taking a toll on him. When the girl is murdered and Max is nowhere to be found, Dr. Parrish goes looking for him, attracting police suspicion. Next, a member of his own staff accuses him of sexual harassment. As the chaos mounts, Dr. Parrish must wonder if the events are random or part of a plot to destroy his life.

Sarah Rachel Egelman has our review and says, “There are the requisite twists and turns you'd expect in a thriller, which are deftly handled, and a couple of them are really surprising. The pace is breakneck, and the context of mental health and psychiatry adds an interesting tone to the novel.”

Elizabeth Berg brings the lush and sensuous life of writer George Sand to life in THE DREAM LOVER. When we meet Aurore Dupin, she is escaping her loveless marriage for the promise of a new life in Paris. Upon arriving in the city, she gives herself a new name --- George Sand --- and begins to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. As she befriends such luminaries as Frédéric Chopin, Gustave Flaubert, Franz Liszt, Eugène Delacroix and Victor Hugo, she also battles heartbreak and prejudice, constantly challenging the expected roles of women.

According to reviewer Norah Piehl, "[R]egardless of whether or not readers were familiar with Sand before reading THE DREAM LOVER, they undoubtedly will be fascinated by this singular woman's life and perhaps be inspired to read not only works about her but by her as well.”

Our newest Women's Fiction Author Spotlight features Sarah Vaughan, whose debut novel, THE ART OF BAKING BLIND, releases on May 5th. In 1966, Kathleen Eaden, cookbook writer and wife to a supermarket magnate wrote The Art of Baking, a guide to nurturing one’s family with exquisite pastries. Now five amateur bakers are competing to become the New Mrs. Eaden. Among the competitors are Claire, who has sacrificed her dreams for her daughter; Mike, a widower with two kids; and ever-perfect Karen, who will do anything to win. As unlikely alliances form and secrets come to the surface, these bakers will learn --- just like Mrs. Eaden before them --- that while it’s possible to bake the perfect pastry, it’s not always possible to create the perfect life. In anticipation of its release, we’re giving away 25 copies to readers who would like to read the book and share their comments on it. The deadline for your entries is Thursday, April 30th at noon ET. You will be inspired to bake after reading this; be prepared!

Our Sneak Peek Feature for Linwood Barclay’s BROKEN PROMISES, a future Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that releases on July 28th, continues. Shortly after his wife’s unexpected death, single father David Harwood loses his job. Left with no other options, he and his nine-year-old son must move to his hometown to live with his elderly parents. But when they ask him to check on his cousin, who lost her baby during childbirth a year ago, he is shocked to find her holding a 10-month-old boy --- and even more shocked when she claims that the baby is her son. As David investigates, dark town secrets begin to come to the surface, and it becomes clear that someone is out to get the residents of Promise Falls. We have 100(!) advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by June 4th. For this contest, do remember we have a strict date by which you have to give us your feedback! The deadline for your entries is Thursday, April 23rd at noon ET.

This week, I have THREE Bets On selections to share with you: the audiobook of A FINE ROMANCE by Candice Bergen, INSIDE THE O’BRIENS by Lisa Genova and WHISKEY AND CHARLIE by Annabel Smith. Click on each of the titles for my commentary.

To celebrate the start of the MLB season, we are excited to present our 2015 Spring Baseball Books feature, written by our longtime reviewer (and resident baseball aficionado) Ron Kaplan. This year’s selection is New York-based, with titles focusing on beloved teams and players old and new. Whether you’re looking to prepare for this season’s games or simply hoping to expand your collection, Ron’s roundup is sure to be a home run.

Our History Books roundup has been updated for April. This month, we’re featuring books on FDR (THE FIGHT FOR THE FOUR FREEDOMS: What Made FDR and the Greatest Generation Truly Great, NO END SAVE VICTORY: How FDR Led the Nation into War); strong women in history (CAPITAL DAMES: The Civil War and the Women of Washington, 1848-1868, FIRST LADIES: Presidential Historians on the Lives of 45 Iconic American Women) and the Lusitania (LUSITANIA: An Epic Tragedy) as we approach the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the luxury liner on May 7th.

Please remember to enter our Mother's Day Contest, which we’ve brought back for a 10th year! We’re featuring 27 books that are perfect for gift giving for moms. You’ll have the chance to win one of our 25 prize packages, which includes a selection of five of these books, along with some delicious Ghirardelli chocolate, tea from Tea Forté and Yardley Bar Soap. The deadline for your entries is Monday, May 11th at noon ET. Click here to take a look at our amazing lineup of titles and enter to win. (Please note that two of these titles --- the eShorts CAT AND JEMIMA J by Jane Green and WHAT SHE REALLY WANTS by Barbara Delinsky --- are available for free download on Amazon Kindle on May 5th.)

In our Spring Preview contests this week, we gave away THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD by Elizabeth Alexander (an upcoming Bets On selection), RE JANE by Patricia Park, THE ROCKS by Peter Nichols and VISIBLE CITY by Tova Mirvis. One more giveaway remains --- for THE DAYLIGHT MARRIAGE by Heidi Pitlor --- and will be announced on Tuesday, April 21st at noon ET. Sad to see these contests end? Do not despair; we are lining up our Summer Reading feature that will kick off on May 15th!

Last weekend marked the start of the First Annual Palm Beach Book Festival in West Palm Beach, Florida. Although I wasn’t able to make it, award-winning author Sandra Balzo --- best known for her Maggy Thorsen mystery series --- was kind enough to attend and tell us all about it. In her blog post here, she shares what she loved about the festival, including her favorite panels and panelists, and offers a heartwarming account of how it felt to represent her late fiancé, crime writer Jeremiah Healy. “Jerry,” as I knew him, served on the festival’s advisory board, and the mystery panel was dedicated to his memory. Best of all, she took several wonderful photos, which you can see at the end of the post.

This weekend is the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which I happily attended for five years and am sorry to miss again this year. Our reader Kathy Jund will have photos and her report. If any others of you are attending, please let me know and we will interview you as well!

The American Booksellers Association has announced the winners of the 2015 Indies Choice Book Awards. They include ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr (Adult Fiction Book of the Year), BEING MORTAL: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande (Adult Nonfiction Book of the Year) and THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir (Adult Debut Book of the Year). Click here for a complete list of winners and to learn more about the awards.

Also, the Audio Publishers Association (APA) has announced five Audie Award finalists for Audiobook of the Year and four finalists for Distinguished Achievement in Production. Click here for all the nominees. The winners will be announced at the Audie Awards® Gala on May 28th at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City. I have been listening to Anjelica Huston’s WATCH ME, which I am thoroughly enjoying. One thing that I have noticed is what a big reader she is. She is extremely well read and continually references books; she clearly sees them as brilliant material for Hollywood. Oh, and if Candice Bergen’s word often said was “exquisite,” Anjelica’s is “arduous.”

News and Pop Culture:

Video of Anthony Doerr talking about inspiration for ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE: Not sure how I have not seen this in the past. Worth viewing. And there is a longer interview with him from the Oregon Humanities Center here.

Southwest Airlines has authors reading on planes: I agree with David Ulin from the Los Angeles Times. As much as I love authors, it's not something I want on board a flight. Read about it here.

Wish You Well Trailer: David Baldacci’s WISH YOU WELL is being made into a movie coming June 2nd on DVD and On-Demand. Ellen Burstyn is starring. We have the trailer here.

Great piece about a young boy with autism and his classmates: From a mom who acknowledges the kids who sit with her son at lunch. Heartwarming.

"The Americans" on FX: This is such a well-done show, and I am on the edge of my seat about the season finale next week. Anyone else watching?

"Mad Men": I loved Don’s expression at the end of last week’s episode and am sad there are just four episodes left. Anyone else tuning in?

Late Sunday afternoon, I am heading to a kickoff event for the Morristown Book Festival. Their One-Book, One Community Read for the festival, which will be held on October 2nd and 3rd, is THE LOST RAVIOLI RECIPES OF HOBOKEN by Laura Schenone. There also will be a "Reading Group Tips & Tricks" workshop presented by April L. Judge, Director of the Bernardsville Public Library. The goal is to help readers start a successful reading group with friends or colleagues, and share tips on how to have a successful club and discussion. I'm looking forward to hearing what they have to say!

We are celebrating my husband Tom’s birthday tomorrow night so both boys can be there. His actual birthday, Thursday, was rung in the way that he usually commemorates the day --- by playing golf. Also, by his birthday the forsythia at the foot of the driveway usually is in bloom. This year, we had our doubts right up until Tuesday when suddenly buds appeared, and by Thursday a riot of yellow was greeting us! Full spring ahead!

Read on, and here’s to a great week ahead.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Now in Stores: EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES by Lisa Scottoline
EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES by Lisa Scottoline (Thriller)
Seventeen-year-old Max has a terminally ill grandmother and is having trouble handling it. That, plus his OCD and violent thoughts about a girl he likes, makes him a high risk patient. He can't turn off the mental rituals he needs to perform every 15 minutes that keep him calm. When the girl is found murdered, Max is nowhere to be found, and Dr. Eric Parrish goes looking for him. Next, a member of Eric’s own staff turns on him in a trumped-up charge of sexual harassment. Is this chaos all random? Or is someone systematically trying to destroy Eric's life? Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: THE DREAM LOVER by Elizabeth Berg
THE DREAM LOVER by Elizabeth Berg (Historical Fiction)
Aurore Dupin leaves her estranged husband, a loveless marriage, and her family’s estate in the French countryside to start a new life in Paris. There, she gives herself a new name --- George Sand --- and pursues her dream of becoming a writer, embracing an unconventional and even scandalous lifestyle. Though considered the most gifted genius of her time, she works to reconcile the pain of her childhood, of disturbing relationships with her mother and daughter, and of her intimacies with women and men. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
 
Click here to read a review.
New Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: THE ART OF BAKING BLIND by Sarah Vaughan
We have 25 copies of THE ART OF BAKING BLIND by Sarah Vaughan to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on May 5th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 30th at noon ET.

THE ART OF BAKING BLIND by Sarah Vaughan (Fiction)
In 1966, Kathleen Eaden, cookbook writer and wife of a supermarket magnate, published The Art of Baking, her guide to nurturing a family by creating the most exquisite pastries, biscuits and cakes. Now, five amateur bakers are competing to become the New Mrs. Eaden. There's Jenny, facing an empty nest now that her family has flown; Claire, who has sacrificed her dreams for her daughter; Mike, trying to parent his two kids after his wife's death; Vicki, who has dropped everything to be at home with her baby boy; and Karen, perfect Karen, who knows what it's like to have nothing and is determined her facade shouldn't slip.

As unlikely alliances are forged and secrets rise to the surface, making the choicest pastry seems the least of the contestants' problems. For they will learn --- just as Mrs. Eaden did before them --- that while perfection is possible in the kitchen, it's very much harder in life.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Sarah Vaughan’s bio.
-Connect with Sarah Vaughan on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
Sneak Peek Contest: Win an Advance Copy of BROKEN PROMISE by Linwood Barclay and Share Your Comments On It
Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights BROKEN PROMISE by Linwood Barclay, an explosive novel about the disturbing secrets of a quiet small town. The book doesn’t release until July 28th, but we have 100 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by Thursday, June 4th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 23rd 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 BROKEN PROMISE and give us your feedback before our June 4th deadline. We take these project deadlines seriously. If you cannot commit, don’t worry…we will have more opportunities like this in the future.

BROKEN PROMISE by Linwood Barclay (Thriller)
After his wife’s death and the collapse of his newspaper, David Harwood has no choice but to uproot his nine-year-old son and move back into his childhood home in Promise Falls, New York. David believes his life is in free fall, and he can’t find a way to stop his descent.

Then he comes across a family secret of epic proportions. A year after a devastating miscarriage, David’s cousin Marla has continued to struggle. But when David’s mother asks him to check on her, he’s horrified to discover that she’s been secretly raising a child who is not her own --- a baby she claims was a gift from an “angel” left on her porch.

When the baby’s real mother is found murdered, David can’t help wanting to piece together what happened --- even if it means proving his own cousin’s guilt. But as he uncovers each piece of evidence, David realizes that Marla’s mysterious child is just the tip of the iceberg.

Other strange things are happening. Animals are found ritually slaughtered. An ominous abandoned Ferris wheel seems to stand as a warning that something dark has infected Promise Falls. And someone has decided that the entire town must pay for the sins of its past…in blood.

-Click here to read Linwood Barclay’s bio.
-Click here to visit Linwood Barclay’s official website.
-Connect with Linwood Barclay on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Click here to read more in our Sneak Peek feature and enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com's 10th Annual Mother's Day Contest: Books Mom Will Love
Mother’s Day is a time to recognize the woman who raised and nurtured us. To celebrate, we're giving you the opportunity to win books and goodies for you or the special lady in your life in our 10th annual "Books Mom Will Love" contest. From now through Monday, May 11th at noon ET, readers can enter to win one of our 25 prize packages, which includes a selection of five books listed below, along with some delicious Ghirardelli chocolate, tea from Tea Forté and Yardley Bar Soap. (Please note that two of these titles --- the eShorts CAT AND JEMIMA J by Jane Green and WHAT SHE REALLY WANTS by Barbara Delinsky --- are available for free download on Amazon Kindle beginning May 5th.)

With books that are moving, uplifting, humorous and informative, look no further than Bookreporter.com for the perfect gift for Mom.

To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, May 11th at noon ET.

This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read more about the prize books and enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: A FINE ROMANCE (Audiobook), INSIDE THE O'BRIENS and WHISKEY AND CHARLIE
A FINE ROMANCE (Audiobook) written and read by Candice Bergen (Memoir)
I am not one who flocks to celebrity memoirs, but I loved A FINE ROMANCE by Candice Bergen, which I listened to on audio. The book is about the male loves of her life --- her husbands, Louis Malle and Marshall Rose --- and the person who lives in her heart: her daughter, Chloe. The book is wickedly honest. She admits her flaws, noting that she is not an easy woman to live with. She was married to her first husband, Louis, for 15 years, but they were apart for about one-third of that time. She talks about why that worked and why it didn’t. In this telling, there are lessons for all of us. She handwrote 400 thank-you notes after Louis’ death; if anything from this book, I learned that she is polite and definitely schooled on doing “the right thing.”

-Click here for more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read a review.


INSIDE THE O'BRIENS by Lisa Genova (Fiction)
Many of you, like me, discovered Lisa Genova with STILL ALICE back in 2009. It was a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, as were her later titles, LEFT NEGLECTED and LOVE ANTHONY, making her the first author to have three books noted as Bets On picks. She breaks another record now as INSIDE THE O’BRIENS receives the same honor. While each of these novels has been so well done, INSIDE THE O’BRIENS is tied with me for her best book.

I have been talking about this book for months since I read an advance copy; when you read it, you will see why. Lisa does an absolutely brilliant job of looking at the effects of Huntington’s disease on one family.

-Click here for more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read our interview with Lisa Genova.


WHISKEY AND CHARLIE by Annabel Smith (Fiction)
WHISKEY AND CHARLIE by Annabel Smith tells the story of twin brothers Whiskey and Charlie, who were inseparable as children. Though carefree and daring, Whiskey often stole the limelight. The brothers kept close through a secret language based on the two-way alphabet. As adults, however, the two barely speak to one another --- until a tragic accident leaves Whiskey in a coma. Now alone, Charlie must confront his feelings about Whiskey in this truly special novel of brotherly love. It’s a rich story about how emotions can be tangled.

-Click here for more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read our interview with Annabel Smith.
 
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Now in Stores: THE RESIDENCE by Kate Andersen Brower
THE RESIDENCE: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower (Social History)
America’s First Families are unknowable in many ways. No one has insight into their true character like the people who serve their meals and make their beds every day. Full of stories and details by turns dramatic, humorous and heartwarming, THE RESIDENCE reveals daily life in the White House as it is really lived through the voices of the maids, butlers, cooks, florists, doormen, engineers and others who tend to the needs of the President and First Family. Reviewed by Carole Turner.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 
Click here to read a review.
April’s History Books Roundup
April’s roundup of History titles includes CAPITAL DAMES by Cokie Roberts, a riveting exploration of the ways in which the Civil War transformed not only the lives of women in Washington, D.C., but also the city itself; James Bradley’s THE CHINA MIRAGE, a spellbinding history of turbulent U.S.-China relations from the 19th century to World War II and Mao's ascent; KL by Nikolaus Wachsmann, an unprecedented, integrated account of the Nazi concentration camps from their inception in 1933 through their demise, 70 years ago, in the spring of 1945; and WENT THE DAY WELL?, David Crane’s astonishing hour-by-hour chronicle that starts the day before Waterloo, the battle that reset the course of world history, and continues to its aftermath.
 
Click here to see our History Books roundup for April.
2015 Spring Baseball Titles Reflect a New York State of Mind
Every year seems to bring a slew of New York-centric titles to the genre of baseball literature. This year, just about all the bases are covered --- with books about the new (as in Mets and Yankees) and old (the Brooklyn Dodgers). And if you’re willing to stretch, there are also new offerings for the San Francisco Giants, who left for the West Coast with their Brooklyn counterparts in 1957. In his latest sports roundup, reviewer Ron Kaplan takes a look at biographies of Dodger legends Tommy Lasorda and Joe Black, along with controversial Yankees manager Billy Martin; a book profiling Mets GM Sandy Alderson, who, according to the subtitle, “revolutionized baseball and revived the Mets”; and YANKEE DOODLES, a behind-the-scenes glimpse at some of the greatest Yankee heroes.
 
Click here to see Ron Kaplan’s 2015 Spring Baseball Books roundup.
Bookreporter.com's Spring Preview Contests and Feature

Spring finally has arrived! We’ve caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by a list of great upcoming books. Here are some picks that we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We are hosting a number of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through April 21st. You need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.

Our final prize book will be announced on Tuesday, April 21st at noon ET.

This year's featured titles are:
Click here to see our Spring Preview feature and sign up for our special newsletter.
Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight: INSIDE THE O’BRIENS by Lisa Genova
INSIDE THE O’BRIENS by Lisa Genova (Fiction)
Joe O’Brien is a 44-year-old police officer from the Irish Catholic neighborhood of Charlestown, Massachusetts. A devoted husband, proud father of four children in their 20s, and respected officer, Joe begins experiencing bouts of disorganized thinking, uncharacteristic temper outbursts, and strange, involuntary movements. He initially attributes these episodes to the stress of his job, but as these symptoms worsen, he agrees to see a neurologist and is handed a diagnosis that will change his and his family’s lives forever: Huntington’s disease.

Huntington’s is a lethal neurodegenerative disease with no treatment and no cure. Each of Joe’s four children has a 50 percent chance of inheriting their father’s disease, and a simple blood test can reveal their genetic fate. While watching her potential future in her father’s escalating symptoms, 21-year-old daughter Katie struggles with the questions this test imposes on her young adult life. Does she want to know? What if she’s gene positive? Can she live with the constant anxiety of not knowing?

As Joe’s symptoms worsen and he’s eventually stripped of his badge and more, Joe struggles to maintain hope and a sense of purpose, while Katie and her siblings must find the courage to either live a life “at risk” or learn their fate.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to see why we're betting you'll love this book.
-Click here to see advance readers’ comments for the book.
-Click here to read our interview with Lisa Genova.
-Click here to read Lisa Genova’s bio.
-Click here to visit Lisa Genova’s official website.
-Connect with Lisa Genova on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight.
Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight: DON’T TRY TO FIND ME by Holly Brown
DON’T TRY TO FIND ME by Holly Brown (Psychological Thriller)
Don’t try to find me. Though the message on the kitchen white board is written in Marley’s hand, her mother Rachel knows there has to be some other explanation. Marley would never run away.

As the days pass and it sinks in that the impossible has occurred, Rachel and her husband Paul are informed that the police have “limited resources.” If they want their 14-year-old daughter back, they will have to find her themselves. Desperation becomes determination when Paul turns to Facebook and Twitter, and launches FindMarley.com.

But Marley isn’t the only one with secrets.

With public exposure comes scrutiny, and when Rachel blows a television interview, the dirty speculation begins. Now, the blogosphere is convinced Rachel is hiding something. It’s not what they think; Rachel would never hurt Marley. Not intentionally, anyway. But when it’s discovered that she’s lied, even to the police, the devoted mother becomes a suspect in Marley’s disappearance.

Is Marley out there somewhere, watching it all happen, or is the truth something far worse?

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read our interview with Holly Brown.
-Click here to read Holly Brown’s bio.
-Click here to visit Holly Brown’s blog.
-Click here to connect with Holly Brown on Facebook.
-Click here to see the 50 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
 
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight.
More Reviews This Week
THE LIAR by Nora Roberts (Romantic Suspense)
Shelby Foxworth lost her husband. Then she lost her illusions. The man who took her from Tennessee to an exclusive Philadelphia suburb left her in crippling debt. He was an adulterer and a liar, and when Shelby tracks down his safe-deposit box, she finds multiple IDs. She takes her three-year-old daughter and heads south to seek comfort in her hometown, where she meets someone new: Griff Lott, a successful contractor. But her husband had secrets she has yet to discover. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

THE ANGEL COURT AFFAIR: A Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novel by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
When Thomas Pitt is tasked with playing bodyguard to Sofia Delacruz, a young and controversial British preacher who has been living in Spain and has returned to England on a mysterious errand, he thinks it’s a waste of Special Branch’s time and resources. But when kidnappers manage to reach Sofia--- murdering two of her companions in the process --- Pitt learns that the message the lovely evangelist was meant to deliver was far more urgent than he knew. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

HOUSE OF ECHOES by Brendan Duffy (Thriller)
Ben has hit a dead end with his new novel, his wife Caroline has lost her banking job, and their eight-year-old son, Charlie, is being bullied at his Manhattan school. When Ben inherits land in the village of Swannhaven, the Tierneys believe it’s just the break they need. But as Ben uncovers Swannhaven’s chilling secrets and Charlie ventures deeper into the surrounding forest, strange things begin to happen. The Tierneys realize that their new home isn’t the fresh start they needed…and that the village’s haunting saga is far from over. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

WHERE THEY FOUND HER by Kimberly McCreight (Psychological Suspense)
No one knows the identity of a newborn whose body has just been discovered in the woods or what ended her very short life. Freelance journalist Molly Sanderson is unexpectedly called upon to cover the news for her local paper. A severe depression followed the loss of her own baby, and this assignment could unearth memories she has tried hard to bury. But the disturbing history Molly uncovers is not her own. Her investigation reveals a decades-old trail of dark secrets hiding behind Ridgedale's white picket fences. Reviewed by Stephen Febick.

I WAS A CHILD: A Memoir by Bruce Eric Kaplan (Memoir)
Bruce Eric Kaplan, also known as BEK, is one of the most celebrated and admired cartoonists in America. I WAS A CHILD is the story of his childhood in words and drawings, in which he recalls growing up in New Jersey with his parents and two older brothers. It would seem like a conventional childhood, although Kaplan’s anecdotes are accompanied by his signature drawings of family outings and life at home --- road trips, milk crates, hamsters, ashtrays, wigs, a platypus and much more. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

CAN'T WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING MORE PLEASANT?: A Memoir by Roz Chast (Graphic Memoir)
2014 Books for a Better Life Award Winner
2014 National Book Critics Circle Award Winner
2014 National Book Award Finalist
In her first memoir, Roz Chast brings her signature wit to the topic of aging parents. Spanning the last several years of their lives and told through four-color cartoons, family photos and documents, and a narrative as rife with laughs as it is with tears, CAN'T WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING MORE PLEASANT? is both comfort and comic relief for anyone experiencing the life-altering loss of elderly parents. Reviewed by John Maher.

A DESPERATE FORTUNE by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction)
Jacobite exile Mary Dundas is filled with longing --- for freedom, for adventure, for the family she lost. When fate opens the door, Mary dares to set her foot on a path far more surprising and dangerous than she ever could have dreamed. Meanwhile, amateur codebreaker Sara Thomas faces events in her own life that require letting go of everything she thought she knew. Though divided by centuries, these two women are united in a quest to discover the limits of trust and the unlikely coincidences of fate. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.

THE TURNER HOUSE by Angela Flournoy (Fiction)
THE TURNER HOUSE is a domestic drama of African-American parents and the 13 children they brought up in Detroit. Angela Flournoy’s debut novel focuses on three of the adult children: Cha-Cha, the oldest, who has been plagued by visions of haints (apparitions); Lelah, the youngest, who has a gambling problem; and Troy, a cop who resorts to underhanded tactics to try to sell the family home, which is worth far less than its mortgage. Reviewed by Michael Magras.

WHISPERING SHADOWS by Jan-Philipp Sendker (Mystery/Thriller)
American expat Paul Leibovitz was once an ambitious advisor, dedicated father and loving husband. But after living for nearly 30 years in Hong Kong, personal tragedy strikes and Paul’s marriage unravels in the fallout. Now Paul is living as a recluse on an outlying island of Hong Kong. When he makes a fleeting connection with Elizabeth, a distressed American woman on the verge of collapse, his life is thrown into turmoil. Less than 24 hours later, Elizabeth’s son is found dead, and Paul sets out to investigate the murder on his own. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

FASHION LIVES: Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis by Fern Mallis (Art & Photography)
This revealing volume provides unprecedented access to master designers and industry leaders. No topic is off-limits to Fern Mallis, award-winning creator of Fashion Week in New York, when she hosts "Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis" at New York’s prestigious 92nd Street Y, a series of in-depth interviews with the fashion industry’s most talented, successful and legendary personalities. Featuring 19 inspiring interviews with American fashion luminaries, this engaging book introduces readers to the real artists behind these very public figures. Reviewed by Jesse Kornbluth, founder of HeadButler.com.

LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER: What She Said Then, What We're Saying Now by Ann Imig (Parenting/Essays)
Based on the sensational national performance movement, LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER showcases the experiences of ordinary people of all racial, gender and age backgrounds, from every corner of the country. This collection of essays celebrates and validates what it means to be a mother today. The stories are raw, honest, poignant and sometimes raunchy, ranging from adoption, assimilation to emptying nests; first-time motherhood, foster-parenting, to infertility; single-parenting, LGBTQ parenting, to special-needs parenting. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

BORDERLINE: An Annika Bengtzon Thriller by Liza Marklund (Thriller)
Annika Bengtzon is back at Kvällspressen’s Stockholm offices after three years as the newspaper’s Washington, DC correspondent. One afternoon, a young woman is found dead behind a nursery school in a Stockholm suburb. In the editorial offices of Kvällspressen they sense a serial killer, but Annika dismisses it as a wild fantasy. As the murder spree in Stockholm continues, Annika is dragged into a violent hostage situation that shakes both Europe and East Africa. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

ADELINE: A Novel of Virginia Woolf by Norah Vincent (Historical Fiction)
On April 18, 1941, 22 days after Virginia Woolf went for a walk near her weekend house in Sussex and never returned, her body was reclaimed from the River Ouse. Norah Vincent’s ADELINE reimagines the events that brought Woolf to the riverbank. She channels Virginia and Leonard Woolf, T. S. and Vivienne Eliot, Lytton Strachey and Dora Carrington, laying bare their genius and their blind spots, their achievements and their failings, from the inside out. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

SPRING REMAINS by Mons Kallentoft (Thriller)
Spring has finally arrived, filling the Swedish countryside with sunshine and flowers after a long, dark winter. The beautiful weather is lost on Detective Investigator Malin Fors, though, troubled as she is by the unexpected death of her emotionally distant mother and what it might mean for her own fragmented and dysfunctional family. But when an explosion rocks the town square, killing two young girls, leaving their mother fighting for life and terrifying the entire community, Malin has no time to address her family’s uncertain future. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
Our Latest Poll and Word of Mouth Contest
Poll:

Over the past year, has television watching interfered with your reading?

  • Yes, definitely
  • Yes, sometimes
  • Nothing gets in the way of my reading.
  • I am not sure how I feel.
-Click here to answer the poll.


Word of Mouth:

Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from April 10th to April 24th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of BLOOD ON SNOW by Jo Nesbø, EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES by Lisa Scottoline and MISSOULA: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer.

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.

-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.

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.

Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the Write to Us page. If you would like to reach me, please write Carol@bookreporter.com. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.

Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: www.20SomethingReads.com, www.Teenreads.com, www.Kidsreads.com, www.ReadingGroupGuides.com, www.GraphicNovelReporter.com, www.FaithfulReader.com and www.AuthorsOnTheWeb.com.

The Book Report Network
250 W. 57th Street - Suite 1228
New York, New York 10107
connect with us twitterfacebook