August 28, 2015

Thanks to all who wrote congratulatory notes about the 19th anniversary of Bookreporter! I still am catching up on my replies, as this has been a really busy week. Next week, we take our traditional summer hiatus with no production or updates, giving me and the staff a chance to wind down for a week and recharge. But that means this week has a whole lot crammed into it! It’s going to be a staycation for me again this year; Cory starts classes on Tuesday, and Greg is holding down the fort at the office. With the pool at the house looking spectacular and the flowers bursting with color, it seems a tad crazy to head out of town.

It will be nice not to have to pack, and I am sure we will cook up some adventures, along with the joy of mid-week entertaining --- something I do not get to do often. With that in mind, the staff is headed to my house for a pool party on Monday. I have been told to make the same menu as last year; I guess it was a hit! Looking forward to floating in the pool with them. For amusement, I ordered a set of 72 colored pencils, and I have some coloring books on hand. We have been talking about coloring, so I thought it might be fun to give it a whirl. Yes, I am sure it will be amusing. Can I stay inside the lines?

Last weekend on Friday afternoon, we had no plans for the weekend. That rapidly changed as our friend, Cathy, called to invite us for a sushi dinner at her home as our friend, Lisa, was in town. That morphed into Saturday night dinner al fresco at our house with another couple added into the mix, and then on Sunday those friends hosted a third dinner. Outrageously spontaneous fun. You can see a photo of the beautiful sushi arrangement above! Cathy and Lisa are BIG readers, thus we had lots of conversation about books. Lisa downloaded I AM PILGRIM after I told her how I was enjoying the audio.

Lisa also shared her stories about hiking to Base Camp of Everest in 1995, and we talked about it being open again to climbers for the first time since the deadly earthquake this spring. I had just finished reading Beck Weathers’ book, LEFT FOR DEAD, about his experience on Everest. After having read three books about the 1996 events, I vote that if you read one, I would select Lou Kasischke’s AFTER THE WIND. I think his perspective is right as he wrote the first draft of his book shortly after the events, but edited it a decade later and did not publish his book until last year. I think perspective helps. Three books inspired the Everest film!

There are some BIG books publishing on Tuesday. One is PURITY by Jonathan Franzen. We have Franzen’s first words on PURITY that you can read here in this interview with Laura Miller. Another is THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB by David Lagercrantz, who is picking up the mantle of Stieg Larsson. You can read an excerpt here at Entertainment Weekly. I have this one on my reading pile right behind THE GATES OF EVANGELINE by Hester Young, which I have just started and am loving...a tad fitting as it was our last Summer Reading Contest title! You can read more about these books later in this newsletter, and we will have reviews for many of these in September.

We have our early reader comments on Charles Belfoure's HOUSE OF THIEVES. Many enjoyed it for all the reasons that I did --- a sharp story with a good historical perspective. It will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection and will be in stores on September 15th. We will have much more about it in the weeks to come.

Onward to this week’s news….

Sue Grafton returns with X, the latest installment of her Alphabet series featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone. In this chilling new entry, Kinsey has her hands full with several cases that require her attention. But when she discovers an unapologetic serial killer who leaves no evidence, she may have met her match. As Kinsey breaks protocol and sets off on a dangerous path, the identity of the killer becomes clear. The real question is if rule-breaking Kinsey can provide proof before she loses her case --- and her life.

Roz Shea, a longtime Grafton fan who has read all 24 books in the series, has this to say in her review: “Twenty-four books later, I’m impressed that Grafton is still developing Kinsey’s personal backstory and philosophizing through her characters on her own take of living the simple life in the midst of the ‘greed is good’ ’80s…. What may be the best part of the series is that X takes place in 1989, having gained only seven years over the past three decades. Kinsey still operates as an old-fashioned gumshoe.”

Greg read X and called it “X for X-cellent.” He also said, “I once again have a fresh feeling that I remember from my year-long marathon from A-Q back in middle school, using every lunch break and bus ride to dive in. If Y and Z are up to this standard, it’s going to be a perfect, if bittersweet, way to say goodbye.”

Fan favorite Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns in THE NATURE OF THE BEAST, Louise Penny’s latest mystery. To Armand and Reine-Marie Gamache, it seems like nine-year-old Laurent Lepage is always crying wolf. Whether he claims to have seen aliens, walking trees or dinosaurs, there is always something to cry about. But when Laurent disappears, the local villagers are faced with the possibility that the little boy may have been on to something. As a frantic search turns up a dark secret in the forest, the horrific history of Three Pines forces itself into the present.

Roz also has our review of THE NATURE OF THE BEAST and calls it “a triumph of terrifying depth as the implications and potential consequences of the monstrous weapon discovered by the boy are revealed. This tale of the terrors that exist in today’s world broadens the scope of a series that continues to grow in possibilities.”

We’re giving away THE NATURE OF THE BEAST, along with DID YOU EVER HAVE A FAMILY by Bill Clegg and the aforementioned PURITY, in our Word of Mouth contest. What books have you finished reading? Let us know by Friday, September 11th at noon ET, and five of you will win all three of these titles.

Philippa Gregory has penned THE TAMING OF THE QUEEN, a new Tudor tale featuring King Henry VIII’s sixth wife, Kateryn Parr. At 30 years old and indulging in a secret affair, Kateryn has no choice when King Henry commands her to marry him. Although she is terrified of the man who has already killed four wives, Kateryn begins to trust Henry, creating a unity within the castle that allows her more freedom than most women of the time. Still, as a natural leader and the first woman to publish under her own name, Kateryn stands out --- and rivals begin to accuse her of heresy.

According to reviewer Amie Taylor, “THE TAMING OF THE QUEEN is the fascinating tale of the last wife of Henry VIII, the one who would outlive him and triumph over his reign of domestic terror. Readers are thrust back in time where they will enjoy a fictional account based on historically accurate records that show Kateryn Parr to be a strong, brave and quick-witted woman who prevailed where numerous others had failed.” We also have an interview with Philippa, which you can see here. I had the pleasure of meeting her a few months ago and found her fascinating!

The audio version of THE TAMING OF THE QUEEN, which is read by Bianca Amato, is one of the prizes in our Sounding Off on Audio contest (in addition to Lee Child's MAKE ME: A Jack Reacher Novel, read by Dick Hill). Let us know by Friday, September 18th at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and three winners will be awarded both of these titles.

Our One to Watch Author Spotlight of Stephanie Clifford’s debut novel, EVERYBODY RISE, continues. At 26, Evelyn Beegan is bright and funny, but that means close to nothing among her old-money peers. Although Evelyn has always been careful to avoid her mother’s social-climbing ways, when she gets a job at a social network aimed at the privileged, she must embrace the peers who have always discounted her. But as she steps into the land of shopping sprees and trips to the Hamptons, she finds its pull intoxicating and soon racks up an insurmountable amount of lies and debt that threaten her future.

We have our review this week from Jamie Layton, who advises that “EVERYBODY RISE should be in every beach bag as we head into Labor Day weekend. It is a delicious last bit of summer in a book, a juicy read with a questionable heroine and an inside glimpse into the world of the very privileged. Most every reader will find a character with whom he or she can relate.” Jamie also had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie, and you can read their conversation here. EVERYBODY RISE is one of my Bets On titles for this week. Click here for my thoughts on the book.

There is still plenty of time to enter our giveaway for your chance to win one of 50 copies of EVERYBODY RISE and share your comments on it. All you have to do is fill out this form by Tuesday, September 8th at noon ET.

My other Bets On title for the week is A WINDOW OPENS by Elisabeth Egan, the books editor at Glamour magazine. This debut novel introduces readers to Alice Pearse, a wife, mother of three and part-time editor. When her husband makes a drastic career change, Alice is forced to take on a job at Scroll, a hip young start-up that represents the future of reading. Although her best friend disapproves, Alice is sure that she finally has it all --- an intellectually satisfying career and a perfect family. But when her father takes ill, her marriage falters, and her work takes an unexpected turn, Alice must figure out whether or not it’s really possible to have it all.

Katherine B. Weissman has our review and calls A WINDOW OPENS “smart, honest, alternately touching and funny... [Egan] lives in New Jersey with her husband and three kids, and ends her author’s acknowledgments with a nod to someone who sounds a lot like her father. This gives her a handle on the intimate details of family life…” We’re pleased to share this interview with Elisabeth, and you can see my Bets On commentary here.

HeadButler.com founder Jesse Kornbluth, who founded Bookreporter.com with me 19 years ago, has released his first novel, MARRIED SEX: A Love Story. As a divorce lawyer for Manhattan’s elite, David Greenfield has seen it all. As such, he knows he’s lucky to be married to Blair, the mother to his college-aged daughter who he loves more than ever. But when seductive photographer Jean Coin asks David to be her lover for six weeks until she leaves for Timbuktu, he invites his wife into a three-way tryst. Although he believes a threesome will refresh their stale marriage, the erotic night has unintended consequences.

Joe Hartlaub, whose forte is reviewing mysteries and suspense/thrillers for us, genuinely enjoyed this book: “What sets MARRIED SEX apart from the pack is Kornbluth’s style, which puts one in the mind of Norman Mailer here and John Barth there, while maintaining an original voice and pitch all the way through in what is ultimately a cautionary tale.” We have a Q&A with Jesse, which you can see here. It’s “so Jesse” as he interviews himself! And over on ReadingGroupGuides.com, we’re giving three groups the chance to win 12 copies of the book, and we’re also giving away 25 single copies. Click here for all the contest details and here for the guide.

Our latest New Release Spotlight features IF YOU ONLY KNEW by Kristan Higgins. Jenny Tate is having trouble finding closure following her divorce. In an attempt to start anew, she trades Manhattan for the beautiful Hudson, where she plans to start her own business while bonding with her sister, Rachel. But when Rachel’s perfect marriage explodes after Rachel catches her husband sexting with a colleague, everyone is shocked. Jenny, however, is even more surprised when Rachel considers forgiving her husband, using her parents’ marriage as a shining example. In order to protect her sister, Jenny may have to reveal a long-held secret about her family --- and force Rachel to come to terms with her present.

We wrapped up our Summer Reading contests this week. Our final four prize books were the aforementioned MARRIED SEX and THE GATES OF EVANGELINE, along with THE FALL OF PRINCES by Robert Goolrick (which we review this week) and THE LAST TIME I SAW HER by Karen Robards. Congratulations to the winners of all 51 of this year’s giveaways, and many thanks to all who entered throughout the summer!

On September 11th, we’ll announce the details of our fifth annual Fall Preview feature! Similar to our Summer Reading contests, on select days in September and October, we will spotlight a different title and offer a 24-hour contest to win five copies of the book. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each day's title. You can sign up here to receive the Fall Preview newsletters. Our first prize book will be announced on Tuesday, September 15th.

We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, books we’ve reviewed on Teenreads.com that we think our adult readers will enjoy. This month’s titles are BECOMING MARIA: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx by Sonia Manzano, DROWNED CITY: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown, and THE NEXT BIG THING: A History of the Boom-or-Bust Moments That Shaped the Modern World by Richard Faulk.

How would you describe the typical condition of your books after you've read them? Are they in stellar condition, or do they look slightly (or very much) beat up? Let us know in our latest poll.

News and Pop Culture:

Knitting and Authors: Got an email from String Yarn, one of my favorite yarn stores in New York, where Lisa Hoffman works, with this note: “Lisa Hoffman, and her cousin, the talented author Alice Hoffman, will be together at String on Tuesday, October 27th, from 4-5pm to sign copies of Faerie Magazine and talk about their new project. From the Faerie Magazine blog: ‘This will be a regular feature in Faerie: an original fairy tale from Alice Hoffman about a magical knit design created by her cousin Lisa Hoffman, who then shares the pattern so that you can make, wear, and own the design yourself. The first issue features the Blue Heron Shawl, but you'll have to wait to see it in the issue! It's everything we love at Faerie, the magic of a fairy tale woven into everyday life and then back out again. Magic you can hold in your hands.'" See more here.

Adele: Heard she has a new album coming in November. Love this quote from Stereogum: “The music business only has to survive for three more months, and then Adele will come and bail it out."

"Fear the Walking Dead": This premiered last weekend to some astonishingly good numbers. I am looking forward to seeing it!

Tashi and the Monk: A wonderful documentary on HBO about the perseverance of one man to make a difference in children’s lives. Here’s their promo copy: "On a remote mountaintop a brave social experiment is taking place. Buddhist Monk Lobsang was trained under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama but 8 years ago he left behind a life as a spiritual teacher in the United States to create a unique community in the foothills of the Himalayas which rescues orphaned and neglected children. 5 year-old Tashi is the newest arrival. Her mother recently passed away and she’s been abandoned by her alcoholic father. Wild and troubled, Tashi is struggling to find her place amongst 84 new siblings. Lobsang has channeled his own unhappy childhood into an opportunity for other ‘uninvited guests of the universe’ to avoid a similar fate. But can the community’s love and compassion transform Tashi’s alienation and tantrums into a capacity to make her first real friend?"

Wesleyan Center for Prison Education: Read about this way to help their students get ready for the upcoming semester.

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN movie news: Emily Blunt is cast as Rachel, while Rebecca Ferguson will play Anna and Haley Bennett will play Megan. Love that the women were cast before the men! Heard also that the setting will be changed from England, as it is in the book, to the U.S. for the film.

Book Festivals: Thinking ahead to fall? Take a look at our list of book festivals scheduled for the upcoming months here.

See you again on Friday, September 11th. Read on, and have a great TWO weeks, including a wonderful Labor Day!

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!

For fans of historical fiction, Philippa Gregory needs no introduction; THE TAMING OF THE QUEEN is the latest in a long list of bestselling novels. It tells the fascinating story of Kateryn Parr --- King Henry VIII’s sixth and final wife --- a brilliant scholar and deeply religious woman who would outlive her husband and triumph over his domestic reign of terror. In this interview, Gregory reveals how she captures historical figures and events with such precision and immediacy, and why she thinks historians haven’t given Kateryn her due. She also discusses the queen’s love of language and publishing --- a love the author herself shares --- and why it’s important to write about women who were not inactive victims of male power.

THE TAMING OF THE QUEEN by Philippa Gregory (Historical Fiction)
Kateryn Parr, a 30-year-old widow in a secret affair with a new lover, has no choice when a man old enough to be her father who has buried four wives --- King Henry VIII --- commands her to marry him. Despite being a leader of religious reform and the first woman to publish in English, Kateryn cannot save the Protestants, under threat for their faith, and Henry’s dangerous gaze turns on her. The traditional churchmen and rivals for power accuse her of heresy. The punishment is death by fire, and the king’s name is on the warrant. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.

EVERYBODY RISE is award-winning New York Times reporter Stephanie Clifford’s excellent debut and a surefire end-of-summer must-read. It’s the keenly observed story of the rise of society wannabe Evelyn Beegan --- and her inevitable fall. Clifford reported on the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis, so it’s no surprise that the novel is set in the years leading up to it. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Jamie Layton, Clifford discusses what makes those years so fascinating and how the excesses of the mega-rich led to a country’s financial collapse. She also talks about having sympathy for flawed characters, why children work so hard for their parents’ approval, and how Evelyn’s ambition is a universal experience --- just kicked up a notch or 10.

EVERYBODY RISE by Stephanie Clifford (Fiction)
EVERYBODY RISE is a keenly observed novel in which a young woman plunges headlong into a glittering world of wealth and social prestige. Evelyn Beegan, an irresistibly flawed heroine, relentlessly elbows her way up the social ladder. In order to be accepted, she must pass as upper class and be seen as someone with an established old money background. Her lies start slowly but quickly grow until the ground underneath her begins to give way. Reviewed by Jamie Layton.

We have 50 copies of EVERYBODY RISE to give away to readers who would like to read the book and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, September 8th at noon ET.

-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 read Stephanie Clifford’s bio.
-Click here to visit Stephanie Clifford’s official website.
-Click here to connect with Stephanie Clifford on Twitter.
-Click here to read more in our One to Watch Author Spotlight and enter the contest.

Elisabeth Egan is the books editor at Glamour, and her essays and book reviews have appeared in an impressive array of publications. In her debut novel, A WINDOW OPENS, Egan tells the story of Alice Pearse, a mostly satisfied wife and mother of three, who decides to make a radical career change and learns that “happily ever after” is not as easy as it seems. In this interview, Egan talks about some of the traits she shares with her protagonist (book preferences, for one) and which books and authors have inspired her through the years. As an industry insider, she also weighs in on the merits of digital readers versus traditional books, as well as the important role women’s magazines play in contemporary book culture.

A WINDOW OPENS by Elisabeth Egan (Fiction)
Alice Pearse is a mostly happily married mother of three, an attentive daughter, an ambivalent dog-owner, a part-time editor, a loyal neighbor and a Zen commuter. When her husband makes a radical career change, Alice is ready to lean in --- and she knows exactly how lucky she is to land a job at Scroll, a hip young start-up that promises to be the future of reading. She is proud of her new “balancing act” until her dad gets sick, her marriage flounders, her babysitter gets fed up, her kids start to grow up, and her work takes an unexpected turn. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.

-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.

• My books are in pristine condition.
• Some pages are marked up (dog-ears, post-it notes, handwritten notes in the margins, etc.)
• My books look beat up and are falling apart.
• I only read eBooks.
• I only borrow books from the library.

Tell us about the books you've finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from August 21st to September 11th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of DID YOU EVER HAVE A FAMILY by Bill Clegg, THE NATURE OF THE BEAST: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny, and PURITY by Jonathan Franzen.

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 rules and guidelines, click here.

-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.