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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
September 23, 2016 |
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Bye Bye Summer…Sorry to See You Go! Fall is in the House!
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Fall has arrived after what felt like a way too short summer. But I am prepared; my new wetsuit arrived along with the gloves and socks. If I can get in and out of this without going into traction, it will give me a chance to do some great cold water swimming; it supposedly will keep me warm in 50-degree water. I tried it on last night and it was perfect, until I had to figure out how to get out of it. There was nothing graceful about this; in fact, it was more like a comedy show. If no one is around this weekend, I envision myself trudging through the woods to our neighbors’ house for help; I already warned her lest she thinks I am early for Halloween as I ring the doorbell.
The hibiscus above bloomed in a glorious second wave last weekend, which made me smile, so I had to share them!
I am glad I like my car, as I spent way too much time in it this week getting to the office. The United Nations General Assembly is in session, and it was diplomatic gridlock. I felt very, very safe walking around midtown Wednesday as the police protection was 10 deep. Since no vehicles were moving crosstown, walking back to the office from my meeting was brisk with no stops for cars or trucks. For the drive, I needed light listening, and thus Susan Mallery’s THE FRIENDS WE KEEP was perfect to have on hand. Somehow hearing about the drama in these three women’s lives as they juggled their lives, husbands and young children was perfect. Sitting in traffic seemed easy by comparison! It’s the second book in her Mischief Bay series; I am looking forward to book three.
Now I am listening to A GREAT RECKONING by Louise Penny. I have only read her first book, STILL LIFE, which I really enjoyed. I have wanted to get to the rest of the series, thus audio listening is going to be perfect! I was happy to hear that Robert Bathurst’s narration of THE NATURE OF THE BEAST, Louise’s last book, won the Anthony Award for Best Crime Fiction Audiobook at Bouchercon last weekend! (See all the Anthony Award winners here.) Just as I started listening to A GREAT RECKONING, also narrated by Robert, I read the sad news that Louise’s husband, Michael Whitehead, passed away this week. As many of you know, he had been suffering from dementia, the story of which they had shared with readers.
While I was disappointed that my hectic schedule did not allow any time for me to attend Bouchercon this year, I was really pleased that 11 writers and publishing professionals in the mystery/thriller literary world were in New Orleans and eager to report back to us on their experiences at the convention, which included lots of notes about eating and drinking. I know, you are shocked that writers enjoy eating, right? The scenes at the bar were not a surprise! We’ve compiled their answers in a blog post, which you can see here, along with some pictures from the event. Many thanks to Linwood Barclay, Laura Benedict, Jim Fusilli, our very own Joe Hartlaub (who everyone treated like a rock star, and rightly so), Keith Kahla, Clair Lamb, Daniel Palmer, Keith Raffel, Kelli Stanley, Wendy Corsi Staub and Lita Weissman for their enthusiastic participation!
Speaking of Linwood Barclay, we have a spectacular contest to tell you about --- and binge readers will want to take special note! In anticipation of the November 1st release of THE TWENTY-THREE, the conclusion to Linwood’s Promise Falls trilogy, we are giving 23 readers a chance to win all three books in the series (the first two are BROKEN PROMISE and FAR FROM TRUE) and share their comments on them by Tuesday, November 29th. To enter, all you have to do is fill out this form by Thursday, October 6th at noon ET. We would love to hear feedback on the trilogy from all 23 winners, so please only enter this contest if you truly believe you will be able to read and comment on all three books by the November 29th deadline. Binge reading…we love it!
And now more of this week’s update….
Ten years after the high-profile kidnapping of two young boys, one returns home in Harlan Coben’s latest gripping thriller, HOME. A decade from where the story begins, kidnappers abducted two boys from wealthy families and demanded ransom, then went silent for 10 years. Their families were left with nothing but agonizing memories and a quiet but fierce desperation for the day that has finally, miraculously arrived: Myron Bolitar and his friend, Win, believe they have located one of the boys, now a teenager. Where has he been for all these years, and what can he tell Myron and Win about the fate of his missing friend?
Joe Hartlaub raves, “There are secrets, twists and turns, and a couple of red herrings that make their way through the pages of HOME --- so many that the book is all but impossible to put down once started.”
The striking, unforgettable ROOM took the world by storm. Now its author, Emma Donoghue, delivers her eagerly awaited novel, THE WONDER. An English nurse is brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle: a girl said to have survived without food for months. She soon finds herself fighting to understand and to save the child's life. Tourists flock to the cabin of 11-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl.
According to reviewer Amy Haddock, “Donoghue’s prose throughout is a force to be reckoned with, but I found the portrayals along the spectrum of faith particularly compelling.... All the fragments scattered throughout the pages come together in a well-earned, satisfying and, dare I say, thrilling ending to THE WONDER."
Karin Slaughter thrilled us with PRETTY GIRLS and now returns with an electrifying, emotionally complex suspense ride: THE KEPT WOMAN. With the discovery of a murder at an abandoned construction site, Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is brought in on a case that becomes much more dangerous when the dead man is identified as an ex-cop. Studying the body, Sara Linton --- the GBI’s newest medical examiner and Will’s lover --- realizes that the extensive blood loss didn't belong to the corpse. Sure enough, bloody footprints leading away from the scene indicate there is another victim --- a woman --- who has vanished...and will die soon if she isn’t found.
Joe Hartlaub has our review and says, “Reading THE KEPT WOMAN will put you through an emotional wringer, but in the best possible way, even for those readers who might find the gore quotient a bit high.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include BEST. STATE. EVER., a hilarious exploration of the Sunshine State from the man who knows it best: Pulitzer Prize winner Dave Barry; THE PIGEON TUNNEL, a debut memoir from John le Carré, the legendary author of TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY, THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD and THE NIGHT MANAGER; and THE PERFECT GIRL by Gilly Macmillan, who follows up her successful debut, WHAT SHE KNEW, with another taut psychological thriller. I read THE PERFECT GIRL a few weeks ago, and I see Gilly as an author you want to watch.
We have two New Release Spotlights to share with you this week, both of which are debut novels. First up is THE UNDOING OF SAINT SILVANUS by Beth Moore. Jillian Slater has agreed to return to New Orleans after learning that her father, who she hadn’t seen in almost 20 years, has passed away. Once Jillian realizes that her grandmother had no idea she was coming, she plans to escape the apartment house known as Saint Silvanus. But she soon discovers there is more at stake than she ever imagined. Who is behind the baffling messages and the strange relics left on the steps? Is it possible that her family is actually cursed? Or is it just this crazy old house that holds them all under its spell?
Our second New Release Spotlight title is Anna Snoekstra’s ONLY DAUGHTER. In 2003, 16-year-old Rebecca Winter disappeared. She'd been enjoying her summer break when mysterious and ominous things began to happen, though she remained oblivious of what was to come. A young woman, desperate after being arrested, claims to be the decade-missing Bec. Soon the impostor is living Bec's life, though Bec’s family and friends are not quite as they seem. As the impostor dodges the detective investigating her case, she begins to delve into the life of the real Bec Winter --- and soon realizes that whoever took Bec is still at large, and that she herself has stepped into deeper danger than she imagined.
Our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest for THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD by Jade Chang continues. It’s a debut novel about a Chinese immigrant family who had it all, lost it all, and then embarks on a road trip across America in an effort to change their fortune and become closer than ever. The book doesn’t release until October 4th, but we have 25 copies to give away to those who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, September 29th at noon ET. I just finished reading it, and while you think at first this is going to be about the unraveling of Charlie, the father, you quickly will see that every family member has his or her own secrets to hide and stories to explore about the messiness and bonds of family.
In this week’s Fall Preview contest, we gave away THE FAMILY PLOT by Cherie Priest. No contests are scheduled for next week, but we’ll be back the following week with three more giveaways: CROSSING THE HORIZON by Laurie Notaro, FRIDAY ON MY MIND: A Frieda Klein Mystery by Nicci French, and THE SECRET CHORD by Geraldine Brooks. The next contest will go live on Tuesday, October 4th at noon ET.
We’ve posted our History Books roundup for September. This month’s offerings include books on Pearl Harbor (timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor); biographies of Gore Vidal, Shirley Jackson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; and KILLING THE RISING SUN, the latest title in Bill O’Reilly and Martin’s Dugard’s #1 bestselling Killing series.
In our latest poll, we’re curious about what you’ve borrowed from your local library in the past year. We know that libraries are about a lot more than printed books these days. In fact, with digital books and audio available, many of you do not even go to the library anymore, but rather click your way there from home. Thus we want to see how you are using your library. Click here to let us know!
Our previous poll asked if you read the epigraphs in books. 73% of you always do, while 25% read them most or some of the time. A mere 1% of you never do, and another 1% will look for them in the future. I confess to glossing over them far too often. When I read them, I find myself wondering how they relate to the rest of the book; I think I should consider flipping back to them at the end!
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, October 7th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD by Caroline Leavitt (an upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On selection) and TWO BY TWO by Nicholas Sparks. Nick did one of our first online interviews for THE NOTEBOOK back in October 1996 when it originally published. At the time there were no live interviews. Every question was typed; we usually had the author on the phone, and we were typing for them. I remember Nick calling in and everyone in the office being excited about the interview. It's hard to believe that was 20 years ago!
There’s still time to enter this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and you’ll have a chance to win the audio versions of Sophie Hannah's CLOSED CASKET: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery, performed by Julian Rhind-Tutt, and Ann Patchett's COMMONWEALTH, performed by Hope Davis. The deadline for your submissions is Monday, October 3rd at noon ET.
In addition to the aforementioned Anthony Awards, this week saw the announcement of the finalists for the 2016 Kirkus Prize. Click here to see all the nominees; the winners will be announced on November 3rd.
Rebecca Munro had a wonderful time at the Brooklyn Book Festival last weekend. As promised, we have her report on the festivities, which you can read here.
This weekend is the National Book Festival, where authors in attendance include Stephen King, Colson Whitehead and Kristin Hannah. We have at least one correspondent, Denise, lined up to do some coverage for us. Let me know if you are attending, and I can send you our interview questions! Also, if there is anyone attending the Boston Book Festival, let me know! We can use a correspondent there.
News and Pop Culture:
Reader Mail: Bev wrote to share this tip: “Here’s a VERY cheap alternative to buying scented candles --- and just as good! When making a fruit salad or similar, save the halves of shelled-out oranges and pop a tealight inside. Magic!” I love grapefruit; I may try this.
Defying the Nazis: The Sharps’ War: Watched this on PBS on the recommendation of my friend, Lourdes. Everything you would expect from a Ken Burns film. You can watch it online here.
Money Monster: Watched this movie last weekend; Clooney and Roberts are terrific, and the subject matter will give you pause.
Paulette Jiles: Loved watching this video where Paulette talks about her upcoming book, NEWS OF THE WORLD, which is longlisted for the National Book Award, from her ranch.
Gene Luen Yang: Thrilled to hear that Gene, who is currently the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, is also a recipient of the MacArthur Prize. I had the pleasure of hosting Gene at an event at the Miami Book Fair and have heard him speak on numerous occasions. His passion for his work and encouraging reading, especially for children --- his mantra is Reading Without Walls --- is inspiring. His work includes the award-winning AMERICAN BORN CHINESE, BOXERS & SAINTS and a series called Secret Coders. Truly a great guy, and I am so happy for him!
"Ray Donovan": The second half of the season was better than the first; the finale was excellent.
I try to work from home on Fridays, as I need to write and edit in quiet, but today I headed into the city for an author luncheon. One of the featured authors was JP Delaney, author of THE GIRL BEFORE, which I read this summer. It’s a thriller being published in January, and it’s one you will want to keep an eye on. The other authors were Lindsey Lee Johnson, author of THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE ON EARTH (January 10th), which is set in an American high school; George Saunders' first novel, LINCOLN IN THE BARDO (February 14th); and Hannah Tinti, author of THE TWELVE LIVES OF SAMUEL HAWLEY (March 28th), where a father protects his daughter from the legacy of his past --- and the truth about her mother’s death.
Tom is away playing golf at the beach this weekend with our friend, Donal. Greg’s plans are up in the air, and Cory will be by at some point, most likely to raid the fridge and the pantry. Leftovers have a home with him.
I have a huge stack of reading to do, as well as prep for the interviews that I am doing for the Morristown Festival of Books. I hope that some of you will be joining me there next Saturday; let me know if you can make it! If you are curious about the lineup, click here. On the gardening front, there are some perennial seeds to plant. Also, I am keeping an eye on the weather, knowing that very soon the houseplants need to come back inside, as well as the herbs. They do not have wetsuits to keep them warm.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this! |
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Featured Review: HOME by Harlan Coben
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HOME by Harlan Coben (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Steven Weber
A decade ago, kidnappers grabbed two boys from wealthy families and demanded ransom, then went silent. No trace of the boys ever surfaced. For 10 years their families have been left with nothing but painful memories and a quiet desperation for the day that has finally, miraculously arrived: Myron Bolitar and his friend, Win, believe they have located one of the boys, now a teenager. Where has he been for 10 years, and what does he know about the day, more than half a life ago, when he was taken? And most critically: What can he tell Myron and Win about the fate of his missing friend? 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 the review. |
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Featured Review: THE WONDER by Emma Donoghue
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THE WONDER by Emma Donoghue (Psychological/Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Lock
Tourists flock to the cabin of 11-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven, and a journalist is sent to cover the sensation. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl. Written with all the propulsive tension that made ROOM a huge bestseller, THE WONDER works beautifully on many levels --- a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a powerful psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil. Reviewed by Amy Haddock.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read the review. |
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Featured Review: THE KEPT WOMAN by Karin Slaughter
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THE KEPT WOMAN by Karin Slaughter (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen Early
With the discovery of a murder at an abandoned construction site, Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is brought in on a case that becomes much more dangerous when the dead man is identified as an ex-cop. Studying the body, Sara Linton --- the GBI’s newest medical examiner and Will’s lover --- realizes that the extensive blood loss didn't belong to the corpse. Sure enough, bloody footprints leading away from the scene indicate there is another victim who has vanished and will die soon if she isn’t found. Evidence soon links Will’s troubled past to the case, and the consequences will tear through his life with the force of a tornado, wreaking havoc for Will and everyone around him. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read the review. |
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New Special Contest: Binge Read Linwood Barclay's Promise Falls Trilogy and Share Your Comments on Them
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We are celebrating the November 1st release of THE TWENTY-THREE, the third and final installment in Linwood Barclay's Promise Falls trilogy, with a special contest. We are giving away copies of all three books in the series: BROKEN PROMISE (which is now available in paperback), FAR FROM TRUE (which is now available in hardcover), and the aforementioned THE TWENTY-THREE. We are looking for 23 readers who can commit to reading the books and sharing their comments on them by Tuesday, November 29th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 6th at noon ET.
BROKEN PROMISE
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 that will affect not only his family, but the entire town.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
FAR FROM TRUE
When private investigator Cal Weaver looks into a break-in at the home of a recently deceased man, he uncovers far more than he is prepared for after he finds a hidden room that was used for salacious activities. Detective Barry Duckworth is doggedly trying to solve two murders, one of which is three years old. He believes the killings are connected, since each featured a similar distinctive wound. And the key to his mystery may lie with Cal Weaver’s own case. As the lies begin to unravel, and another murder occurs, Cal and Barry find themselves headed straight into the heart of dark secrets as they uncover more startling truths about Promise Falls.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
THE TWENTY-THREE
It’s May 23rd, and the small town of Promise Falls, New York, has found itself in the midst of a full-blown catastrophe. Hundreds of people are going to the hospital with similar flu-like symptoms, and dozens have died. Investigators quickly zero in on the water supply. But the question for many, including private investigator Cal Weaver, remains: Who would benefit from a mass poisoning of this town? Meanwhile, a college student has been murdered, and Detective Barry Duckworth has seen the killer’s handiwork before --- in the unsolved homicides of two other women in town. Suddenly, all the strange things that have happened in the last month start to add up.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD by Jade Chang
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We have 25 copies of THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD by Jade Chang --- a hilarious debut novel about a wealthy but fractured Chinese immigrant family that had it all, only to lose every last cent, and about the road trip they take across America that binds them back together --- to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on October 4th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, September 29th at noon ET.
THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD by Jade Chang (Fiction)
Charles Wang is mad at America. A brash, lovable immigrant businessman who built a cosmetics empire and made a fortune, he’s just been ruined by the financial crisis. Now all Charles wants is to get his kids safely stowed away so that he can go to China and attempt to reclaim his family’s ancestral lands --- and his pride.
Charles pulls Andrew, his aspiring comedian son, and Grace, his style-obsessed daughter, out of schools he can no longer afford. Together with their stepmother, Barbra, they embark on a cross-country road trip from their foreclosed Bel-Air home to the upstate New York hideout of the eldest daughter, disgraced art world it-girl Saina. But with his son waylaid by a temptress in New Orleans, his wife ready to defect for a set of 1,000-thread-count sheets, and an epic smash-up in North Carolina, Charles may have to choose between the old world and the new, between keeping his family intact and finally fulfilling his dream of starting anew in China.
Outrageously funny and full of charm, THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD is an entirely fresh look at what it means to belong in America --- and how going from glorious riches to (still name-brand) rags brings one family together in a way money never could.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit the book's official website.
-Click here to read Jade Chang's bio.
-Click here to connect with Jade Chang on Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
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New Release Spotlight: THE UNDOING OF SAINT SILVANUS by Beth Moore
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THE UNDOING OF SAINT SILVANUS by Beth Moore (Mystery/Suspense)
THE UNDOING OF SAINT SILVANUS is the exciting fiction premiere from beloved New York Times bestselling author Beth Moore.
Only God knew why Jillian Slater agreed to return to New Orleans on the news that her father had finally drunk himself to death. It’s not like they were close. She hadn’t seen him --- or her grandmother, the ice queen --- in almost 20 years. But when Adella Atwater, the manager of her grandmother’s apartment house, called and said Jillian’s expenses would be paid if she’d fly in for the burial, a free trip to New Orleans was too intriguing to resist.
What Adella didn’t tell her was that the apartment house wasn’t a house at all and, whatever it was, bore the dead weight of a long and painful history. As soon as Jillian meets the odd assortment of renters and realizes that her grandmother had no idea she was coming, she hatches a plan to escape. But the investigation into her father’s death quickly unfolds, and Jillian is drawn into the lives of the colorful collection of saints and sinners who pass through Saint Silvanus. She soon discovers there is more at stake than she ever imagined. Who is behind the baffling messages and the strange relics left on the steps? Is it possible that her family is actually cursed? Or is it just this crazy old house that holds them all under its spell?
Jillian walks into a web of spiritual and personal danger borne out of her family’s broken history, and despite Adella’s wiliest efforts, only God himself can orchestrate the undoing of all that is going on at Saint Silvanus.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Beth Moore's bio.
-Click here to visit Beth Moore's official website.
-Connect with Beth Moore on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight. |
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New Release Spotlight: ONLY DAUGHTER by Anna Snoekstra
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ONLY DAUGHTER by Anna Snoekstra (Psychological Thriller)
In 2003, 16-year-old Rebecca Winter disappeared.
She'd been enjoying her summer break: working at a fast-food restaurant, crushing on an older boy and shoplifting with her best friend. Mysteriously ominous things began to happen --- a presence in her room at night, periods of blackouts, a feeling of being watched --- though Bec remained oblivious of what was to come.
Eleven years later she is replaced.
A young woman, desperate after being arrested, claims to be the decade-missing Bec.
Soon the impostor is living Bec's life. Sleeping in her bed. Hugging her mother and father. Learning her best friends' names. Playing with her little brothers.
But Bec's welcoming family and enthusiastic friends are not quite as they seem. As the impostor dodges the detective investigating her case, she begins to delve into the life of the real Bec Winter --- and soon realizes that whoever took Bec is still at large, and that she is in imminent danger.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Anna Snoekstra's bio.
-Click here to visit Anna Snoekstra's official website.
-Connect with Anna Snoekstra on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight. |
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September's History Books Roundup
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September's roundup of History titles includes KILLING THE RISING SUN, the new book in Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard's Killing series, in which the authors recount "how America vanquished World War II Japan"; Candice Millard's HERO OF THE EMPIRE, a thrilling narrative of Winston Churchill's extraordinary and little-known exploits during the Boer War; PEARL HARBOR, Craig Nelson's gripping and definitive account of the event that changed 20th-century America, published in time for the 75th anniversary; GEORGE WASHINGTON'S SECRET SPY WAR by John A. Nagy, the untold story of how George Washington took a disorderly, ill-equipped rabble and defeated the best trained and best equipped army of its day in the Revolutionary War; and THE BIRTH OF A NATION, the official tie-in to the highly acclaimed film of the same name, which surveys the history and legacy of Nat Turner, the leader of one of the most renowned slave rebellions on American soil, while also exploring his relevance to contemporary dialogues on race relations.
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Click here to see our History Books roundup for September. |
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Women's Fiction Author Spotlight: THE LIFE SHE WANTS by Robyn Carr
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THE LIFE SHE WANTS by Robyn Carr (Fiction)
In the aftermath of her financier husband’s suicide, Emma Shay Compton’s dream life is shattered. Richard Compton stole his clients’ life savings to fund a lavish life in New York City, and, although she was never involved in the business, Emma bears the burden of her husband’s crimes. She is left with nothing.
Only one friend stands by her, a friend she’s known since high school, who encourages her to come home to Sonoma County. But starting over isn’t easy, and Sonoma is full of unhappy memories, too. And people she’d rather not face, especially Riley Kerrigan.
Riley and Emma were like sisters --- until Riley betrayed Emma, ending their friendship. Emma left town, planning to never look back. Now, trying to stand on her own two feet, Emma can’t escape her husband’s reputation and is forced to turn to the last person she thought she’d ever ask for help --- her former best friend. It’s an uneasy reunion as both women face the mistakes they’ve made over the years. Only if they find a way to forgive each other --- and themselves --- can each of them find the life she wants.
THE LIFE SHE WANTS releases on September 27th.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Robyn Carr's bio.
-Click here to visit Robyn Carr's official website.
-Connect with Robyn Carr on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to see the 10 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
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Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight. |
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Women's Fiction Author Spotlight: MENDING FENCES by Sherryl Woods
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MENDING FENCES by Sherryl Woods (Fiction)
For 10 years, Emily Dobbs and Marcie Carter have been the closest of friends. They've raised their kids together, shared joy and heartache, and exchanged neighborhood gossip over tea. But when Marcie's son, now a college freshman sports star, is arrested for date rape, the bond between the families could be shattered forever.
As the Carters try to deal with the unthinkable, Emily discovers her daughter has been hiding a terrible secret…a secret that threatens the futures of both families. Recently divorced, Emily struggles to keep it all together --- to support her terrified daughter, to maintain her friendship with Evan's mother, and to have faith in the detective who could change all of their lives.
When things seem darkest, both she and Marcie discover that sometimes the first step toward a better future is mending fences with the past.
MENDING FENCES, which originally published in 2007, re-releases on September 27th with a brand-new cover.
Be sure to tune in to Hallmark Channel every Sunday night at 9/8c for "Chesapeake Shores," a new TV series based on Sherryl Woods' novels of the same name.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the discussion guide.
-Click here to read Sherryl Woods' bio.
-Click here to visit Sherryl Woods' official website.
-Connect with Sherryl Woods on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to see the 15 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
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Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight. |
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What's New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
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We currently are giving away the following books on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
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FATES AND TRAITORS by Jennifer Chiaverini
We are celebrating the release of Jennifer Chiaverini's FATES AND TRAITORS --- a riveting work of historical fiction following the notorious John Wilkes Booth and the four women who kept his perilous confidence --- by giving three book groups the chance to win 12 copies. Enter here by Wednesday, October 19th at noon ET.
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THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS by M. L. Stedman
Each month, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. September's prize book is M. L. Stedman's THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS, the years-long New York Times bestseller (now a major motion picture) about an isolated couple, an orphaned child and an impossible choice. Enter here by Wednesday, October 5th at noon ET.
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THE BITTER SEASON by Tami Hoag
We are celebrating the trade paperback release of THE BITTER SEASON by Tami Hoag --- a Kovac and Liska thriller that explores the devastating consequences of the secrets families keep --- with a special contest that will give three book groups the chance to win 12 copies. Enter here by Wednesday, October 5th at noon ET.
The following guides are now available:
Please note that this title, for which we already had the guide when it appeared in hardcover, is now available in paperback:
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Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com. |
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More Reviews This Week
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BEST. STATE. EVER.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland by Dave Barry (Humor/Essays)
Audiobook available, narrated by Dick Hill
We never know what will happen next in Florida. We know only that, any minute now, something will. Every few months, Dave Barry gets a call from some media person wanting to know, “What the hell is wrong with Florida?” Somehow, the state has acquired an image as a subtropical festival of stupid, and as a loyal Floridian, Dave begs to differ. It is a great state, and Dave is going to tell you why. Join him as he celebrates Florida from Key West at the bottom to whatever it is that’s at the top, from the Sunshine State’s earliest history to the fun-fair of weirdness that it is today. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE PIGEON TUNNEL: Stories from My Life by John le Carré (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by John le Carré
From his years serving in British Intelligence during the Cold War, to a career as a writer that took him from war-torn Cambodia to Beirut on the cusp of the 1982 Israeli invasion to Russia before and after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, John le Carré has always written from the heart of modern times. In this, his first memoir, le Carré gives us a glimpse of a writer’s journey over more than six decades, and his own hunt for the human spark that has given so much life and heart to his fictional characters. Reviewed by Rebecca Kilberg.
STING by Sandra Brown (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Stephen Lang
When Jordie Bennet and Shaw Kinnard lock eyes across a disreputable backwater bar, something definitely sparks. But Shaw is there to kill her. As he and his partner take aim, Jordie is certain her time has come. Shaw has other plans, though, and abducts Jordie, hoping to get his hands on the $30 million her brother has stolen and, presumably, hidden. However, Shaw is not the only one looking for the fortune. Her brother's ruthless boss and the FBI are after it as well. Now on the run from the feds and a notorious criminal, Jordie and Shaw must rely on their wits --- and each other --- to stay alive. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
THE PERFECT GIRL by Gilly Macmillan (Psychological Suspense)
Audiobook available, performed by Penelope Rawlins and Dugald Bruce-Lockhart
Zoe Maisey is a 17-year-old musical prodigy with a genius IQ. Three years ago, she was involved in a tragic incident that left three classmates dead. She served her time, and now her mother, Maria, is resolved to keep that devastating fact tucked far away from their new beginning, hiding the past even from her new husband and demanding Zoe do the same. Tonight Zoe is giving a recital that Maria has been planning for months. But, by the end of the evening, Maria is dead. In the aftermath, everyone tries to piece together what happened. But as Zoe knows all too well, the truth is rarely straightforward, and the closer we are to someone, the less we may see. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the discussion guide.
MOSCOW NIGHTS: The Van Cliburn Story -- How One Man and His Piano Transformed the Cold War by Nigel Cliff (Biography)
In 1958, an unheralded 23-year-old piano prodigy from Texas named Van Cliburn traveled to Moscow to compete in the First International Tchaikovsky Competition. The Soviets had no intention of bestowing their coveted prize on an unknown American; a Russian pianist had already been chosen to win. Yet when the gangly Texan with the shy grin took the stage and began to play, he instantly captivated an entire nation. Adored by millions in the USSR, Cliburn returned to a thunderous hero’s welcome in the US and became, for a time, an ambassador of hope for two dangerously hostile superpowers. Reviewed by John Bentlyewski.
BLOOD AT THE ROOT: A Racial Cleansing in America by Patrick Phillips (History)
Audiobook available, read by Patrick Phillips
Forsyth County, Georgia, at the turn of the 20th century was home to a large African American community. Many black residents were poor sharecroppers, but others owned their own farms. But then in September 1912, three young black laborers were accused of raping and murdering a white girl. One man was dragged from a jail cell and lynched on the town square, two teenagers were hung after a one-day trial, and soon bands of white “night riders” launched a coordinated campaign of arson and terror. National Book Award finalist Patrick Phillips tells Forsyth’s tragic story in vivid detail and traces its long history of racial violence all the way back to antebellum Georgia. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
PEARL HARBOR: From Infamy to Greatness by Craig Nelson (History)
Audiobook available, read by George Guidall
The America we live in today was born, not on July 4, 1776, but on December 7, 1941, when an armada of 354 Japanese warplanes supported by aircraft carriers, destroyers and midget submarines suddenly and savagely attacked the United States, killing 2,403 men --- and forced America’s entry into World War II. PEARL HARBOR follows, moment by moment, the sailors, soldiers, pilots, diplomats, admirals, generals, emperor and president as they engineer, fight and react to this stunningly dramatic moment in world history. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
THE BOOKSHOP ON THE CORNER by Jenny Colgan (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Lucy Price-Lewis
Nina Redmond is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion…and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more. Determined to make a new life for herself, Nina moves to a sleepy village many miles away. There she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobile --- a mobile bookshop that she drives from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing one life after another with the power of storytelling. Nina soon discovers there’s plenty of adventure, magic and soul in a place that’s beginning to feel like home --- a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the discussion guide.
DEAR MR. M written by Herman Koch, translated by Sam Garrett (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Luke Daniels
Once a celebrated writer, M had his greatest success with a suspense novel based on a real-life disappearance. It told the story of a history teacher who went missing one winter after having a brief affair with a beautiful student of his. The teacher was never found. Upon publication, M's novel was a runaway bestseller, one that marked his international breakthrough. That was years ago, and now M's career is fading. But not when it comes to his bizarre, seemingly timid neighbor who keeps a close eye on him and his wife. Why? Reviewed by Sarah Jackman.
LITTLE NOTHING by Marisa Silver (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
In an unnamed country at the beginning of the last century, a child called Pavla is born to peasant parents. Her arrival, conceived in part by gypsy tonics and archaic prescriptions, stuns her parents and brings outrage and scorn from her community. Pavla has been born a dwarf, but as the years pass, she grows no farther than the edge of her crib. When her parents turn to the treatments of a local charlatan, his terrifying cure opens the floodgates of persecution for Pavla. LITTLE NOTHING unfolds across a lifetime of unimaginable, magical transformation in and out of human form, as an outcast girl becomes a hunted woman whose ultimate survival depends on the most startling transfiguration of them all. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE INVISIBILE LIFE OF IVAN ISAENKO by Scott Stambach (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Dan Bittner
Seventeen-year-old Ivan Isaenko is a life-long resident of the Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children in Belarus. For the most part, every day is exactly the same for Ivan, which is why he turns everything into a game, manipulating people and events around him for his own amusement. Until Polina arrives. She steals his books. She challenges his routine. The nurses like her. Soon, he cannot help being drawn to her, and the two forge a romance that is tenuous and beautiful and everything they never dared dream of. Before, he survived by being utterly detached from things and people. Now, Ivan wants something more: he wants Polina to live. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE VANISHED: A Konrad Simonsen Thriller written by Lotte and Søren Hammer, translated by Martin Aitken (Mystery/Thriller)
Lying at the bottom of his apartment stairs, a postman is found dead. At first glance, his death appears to be a simple fall, a straightforward accident and the perfect case for Detective Chief Superintendent Konrad Simonsen to return to after a severe heart attack. But when he is called to investigate, new forensic evidence comes to light and something doesn't add up. When life-size images of a girl are discovered plastering the walls of the dead man's attic, the case takes a new and sinister turn. Who is she? Could she be alive? Soon members of the homicide team find themselves delving into the past, but as they approach the truth, Simonsen discovers long-hidden skeletons in his own closet. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
A TREE OR A PERSON OR A WALL: Stories by Matt Bell (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Karen Chilton, Andrea Gallo, Andrew Garman and T. Ryder Smith
A 19th-century minister builds an elaborate motor that will bring about the Second Coming. A man with rough hands locks a boy in a room with an albino ape. An apocalyptic army falls under a veil of forgetfulness. The story of Red Riding Hood is run through a potentially endless series of iterations. A father invents an elaborate, consuming game for his hospitalized son. Indexes, maps and a checkered shirt buried beneath a blanket of snow are scattered through these pages as clues to mysteries that may never be solved. A TREE OR A PERSON OR A WALL brings together Matt Bell’s previously published shorter fiction, along with seven dark and disturbing new stories. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE GIRL WHO FOUGHT NAPOLEON: A Novel of the Russian Empire by Linda Lafferty (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen Gati
It’s 1803, and an adolescent Nadya is determined not to follow in her overbearing Ukrainian mother’s footsteps. She’s a horsewoman, not a housewife. When Tsar Paul is assassinated in St. Petersburg and a reluctant and naive Alexander is crowned emperor, Nadya runs away from home and joins the Russian cavalry in the war against Napoleon. Disguised as a boy and riding her stallion, Nadya rises in the ranks, even as her father begs the tsar to find his daughter and send her home. Both Nadya and Alexander defy expectations --- she as a heroic fighter and he as a spiritual seeker --- while the battles of Austerlitz, Friedland, Borodino and Smolensk rage on. Reviewed by Carly Silver. |
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Next Week's Notables: Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 26th and 27th
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Below are some notable titles releasing on September 26th and 27th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks releasing the week of September 26th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
September 26th
WOMAN OF GOD by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Thriller)
Faith has never come easy for Brigid Fitzgerald. But when she’s locked in a deadly, high-stakes battle with forces determined to undermine everything she believes in, Brigid must convert her enemies to her cause before she loses her faith...and her life.
September 27th
THE 7th CANON by Robert Dugoni (Legal Thriller)
In San Francisco’s seamy Tenderloin district, a teenage street hustler has been murdered in a shelter for boys. And the dedicated priest who runs the struggling home stands accused. As he unearths the dirty secrets surrounding the case, attorney Peter Donley must risk his neck to save his client’s life --- and expose the face of true evil.
THE BIRTH OF A NATION: Nat Turner and the Making of a Movement edited by Nate Parker (History)
This official tie-in to the highly acclaimed film The Birth of a Nation surveys the history and legacy of Nat Turner, the leader of one of the most renowned slave rebellions on American soil, while also exploring Turner’s relevance to contemporary dialogues on race relations.
BORN TO RUN by Bruce Springsteen (Memoir)
Over the past seven years, Bruce Springsteen has privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life, bringing to these pages the same honesty, humor and originality found in his songs. BORN TO RUN will be revelatory for anyone who has ever enjoyed the Boss, but it is much more than a legendary rock star’s memoir.
CHRISTMAS CARAMEL MURDER: A Hannah Swensen Holiday Mystery with Recipes! by Joanne Fluke (Mystery)
The holidays have arrived, but a Santa-sized sackful of trouble ensues. Like the fact that the husband of Hannah’s good pal Lisa will be playing Mr. Claus to his ex-girlfriend Phyllis Bates’ Mrs. Claus. Or that Phyllis is found dead in the snow, wearing a costume that the real Mrs. Claus would put on the naughty list. Soon after, the suspects pile up faster than snowdrifts in a blizzard.
THE LIFE SHE WANTS by Robyn Carr (Fiction)
In the aftermath of her financier husband’s suicide, Emma Shay Compton’s dream life is shattered. She bears the burden of Richard's crimes and is left with nothing. When a friend encourages her to come home to Sonoma County, Emma must decide if she can face Riley Kerrigan, her ex-best friend.
NICK OF TIME by John Gilstrap (Thriller)
Nicki Janssen’s days are numbered, but she refuses to accept her fate lying down. Defying her father and doctors, she hits the road with a pocketful of cash, a bus ticket, and a romantic fantasy of riding off with her childhood crush.
RECKLESS CREED: A Ryder Creed Novel by Alex Kava (Thriller)
Ryder Creed and FBI profiler Maggie O’Dell will discover the ominous connection among a string of mysterious deaths. What they find may be the most prolific killer the United States has ever known.
SHIRLEY JACKSON: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin (Biography)
Still known to millions primarily as the author of “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson (1916–1965) has been curiously absent from the mainstream American literary canon. Now, biographer Ruth Franklin reveals Jackson's tumultuous life and inner darkness.
SING FOR YOUR LIFE: A Story of Race, Music, and Family by Daniel Bergner (Biography)
As a child, Ryan Speedo Green lived in a trailer park and later a bullet-riddled house across the street from drug dealers. At the age of 12, he was sent to Virginia's juvenile facility of last resort and placed in solitary confinement. Today Ryan is a rising star, performing major roles at the Met and Europe's most prestigious opera houses.
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Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter. |
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Our Latest Poll and Word of Mouth/Sounding Off on Audio Contests
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Poll:
Which of the following have you borrowed from your local library in the last year? Please check all that apply.
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Print books
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eBooks
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Audiobooks on disc
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Digital audio
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Streaming video
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DVDs
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Streaming music
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CDs
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Magazines
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Newspapers
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I do not use my local library.
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Other (Please specify)
-Click here to vote in the poll.
Word of Mouth:
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 September 23rd to October 7th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD by Caroline Leavitt and TWO BY TWO by Nicholas Sparks.
-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio:
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from September 6th to October 3rd at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Sophie Hannah's CLOSED CASKET: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery, performed by Julian Rhind-Tutt, and Ann Patchett's COMMONWEALTH, performed by Hope Davis.
-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here. |
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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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