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Greetings from Minneapolis!
As I write this, I am hunkered down in my hotel room in Minneapolis before heading out to the opening cocktail party for the American Booksellers Association’s Winter Institute. More than 100 authors are in town for this event, and I, along with 650 booksellers, am looking forward to a crash course in hearing from them and their publishers about the best upcoming titles. Last-minute reading prep is going on now!
I flew in yesterday and was happy to see my friend Leslie Jablonski, who I know from my Mademoiselle magazine days. Yesterday she kindly brought me over to visit StevenBe’s yarn shop, which is a store that I have wanted to visit for a while now. I did my usual souvenir yarn shopping (it must be something special to that store; this time, I bought a Madelinetosh yarn dyed just for StevenBe called “Knitting is Dead Sexy”), and then Leslie's husband, Mike, joined us for dinner at St. Genevieve. It was a really lovely evening.
I was saddened to hear about the passing of Mary Tyler Moore, but what timing. Last time I was here, Leslie had driven me past an outdoor statue of Mary tossing her hat in her iconic role. The street where the statue stood is under construction, and it was moved indoors to the Minneapolis Visitor's Center Store, which was located blocks from our hotel. I made my way over there with my Simon & Schuster publishing friend, Wendy Sheanin, and snapped the photo above. The house where Mary's character lived in a third floor bedroom on Lake of the Isles is currently on the market; it's fun to see the pictures from inside.
Early Monday, I was at my computer watching the announcement of the ALA Youth Media Awards, including the Newbery and the Caldecott, which is one of the most fun bookish mornings of the year. Hats off to Rebecca Munro, our Teenreads/Kidsreads Editorial Coordinator who updated ALL of our youth awards features. You can see the teen awards here and the kids' awards here. MARCH: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell won four awards, a wonderful achievement for this graphic novel, which also won the National Book Award.
Later that morning, I was plugging along working at the house when the power went out in a wild Nor’easter. I trudged across the street to my neighbor’s home as she has a full house generator. Problem solved; we have great neighbors!
Tuesday was one very rainy day in the city, but the evening had a huge bright spot as I attended an event at the 92nd Street Y (amazingly the first time I had been there for a program) where there was wonderful conversation about Zelda Fitzgerald with Christine Ricci, the star of “Z: The Beginning of Everything,” and Therese Anne Fowler, the author of the novel on which it was based, Z, with Caryn James conducting the program. It kicked off with a screening of Episode 6, an episode selected as it works well as a self-contained segment; it was wildly fun. The first season of “Z” begins streaming on Amazon Video today. You can watch the video of Tuesday night’s presentation here.
And for those of you who have been enjoying “Victoria” on Masterpiece Theatre on PBS, here’s a fun Facebook Live interview that Daisy Goodwin did that captures her enthusiasm for the story.
In December, I read a wonderful novel, BENEATH A SCARLET SKY by Mark Sullivan, and purposely held off on sharing it with you until now as I did not want it to get lost over the holidays. Mark told me about the origins of this years ago, including his plans one summer for his first trip to Europe to meet its subject.
BENEATH A SCARLET SKY is based on the life of Pino Lella. It begins when Pino is a teen in Milan during World War II. As the war escalates, he leaves home to live in a monastery and becomes part of an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps. The mountain treks that he took were harrowing (I dare you to read them and not remember them), and they will leave you holding your breath. Then Pino takes on a different heroic role in the war by enlisting as a German soldier so he can spy for the Allies; he drives for General Hans Leyers, one of the Reich’s top commanders. Laced behind this is a story of a woman he loves and his family. He is an amazing man, and Mark does his story true justice writing with a pulse-pounding style. This story runs deeper than his previous work.
My family came from Italy, and from them are many family stories of what happened in the countryside during the war, which made this book even more compelling reading for me. It’s being compared to ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE, THE NIGHTINGALE and UNBROKEN, and all are very valid. It will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection.
A quick note about something mentioned last week: Tickets to the Simon & Schuster Book Club Matinee on Saturday, March 11th that we announced last week are sold out, and they have started a waiting list. The author guests will be Anthony Doerr, Isabel Allende, Lisa See, Lisa Genova, Ruth Ware and Megan Miranda. Full details are here, including info on how to be added to the waiting list.
Now to this week’s update…
Out this week is the highly anticipated THE GIRL BEFORE, which we’ve been featuring in our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight and will be a Bets On pick (you can read my comments in next week’s newsletter). Its author, JP Delaney, is a pseudonym for a writer who has published bestselling fiction under other names. As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, this is a tautly paced psychological thriller, and I’m happy to share that a film adaptation directed by Ron Howard is already underway.
In his rave review, Ray Palen calls THE GIRL BEFORE “an electric thriller that will keep readers guessing right up to the finale…. I enjoyed the dual narratives and never felt that the back-to-back chapter jumps were gimmicky or tiresome. When Emma's story ends, it becomes all about Jane, and you will be reading with trepidation as her story concludes in surprising fashion.” I was happy to have the opportunity to ask JP Delaney some questions about the book, and you can read the interview here. JP talks about the iconic house in the book, among other things.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include FATAL, a stand-alone novel from John Lescroart about the lethal consequences of a one-night stand on a seemingly happily married couple; HOMESICK FOR ANOTHER WORLD, the first collection of short stories from Ottessa Moshfegh, who you may remember as the author of the highly acclaimed 2015 debut novel, EILEEN; and TRANSIT by Rachel Cusk, the second novel of a trilogy that began with last year’s OUTLINE, in which a woman is determined to start life anew with her two young sons in London.
We kicked off our Winter Reading contests by giving away THE GIRL BEFORE to five readers; the other prizes this week were DON’T YOU CRY by Mary Kubica and THE RIVER AT NIGHT by Erica Ferencik. Next week’s prizes will be BEHIND HER EYES by Sarah Pinborough, THE CHARM BRACELET by Viola Shipman, CITY OF SAINTS & THIEVES by Natalie C. Anderson, and HISTORY OF WOLVES by Emily Fridlund. We’ll announce the first contest of the week on Monday, January 30th at noon ET.
And for those of you who would rather listen to THE GIRL BEFORE on audio, you’re in luck! That is one of the audiobooks we’re giving away in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest; the other is THE SLEEPWALKER by Chris Bohjalian. The contest ends very soon --- Wednesday, February 1st at noon ET --- so if you’d like to win both these audiobooks, be sure to submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to before the fast-approaching deadline.
The opening installment of Lori Foster’s Body Armor series, UNDER PRESSURE, is the latest title in our New Release Spotlight. Leese Phelps’ road hasn’t been an easy one, but it’s brought him to the perfect job --- working for the elite Body Armor security agency. But being drawn to Catalina Nicholson is a dangerous complication, especially since it could be the very man who hired Leese who’s threatening her. What Catalina knows could get her killed. But who would believe the terrible truth about her powerful stepfather? Beyond Leese’s athletic body and brooding gaze is a man of impeccable honor. He’s the last person she expects to trust --- and the first who’s ever made her feel safe. And he’s the only one who can help her expose a deadly secret --- if he can keep them both alive.
UNDER PRESSURE is one of the books we’re giving away in our Valentine’s Day contest, where five readers will win eight love-themed books and some irresistible chocolate. Be sure to send us your entries by noon ET on Valentine’s Day, and you may just be one of our love-struck winners.
THE NOWHERE MAN, which we reviewed last week and is the second book in Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series starring Evan Smoak, is my latest Bets On selection. Click here for my commentary. I also picked ORPHAN X, which kicked off the series last January, as a Bets On title. I learned this week that the American Library Association’s RUSA division selected ORPHAN X for its "Adrenaline" Thriller of the Year Award. Gregg shared on Facebook that “This one is a particular honor for me since I pretty much grew up in a library --- so librarians are my rock stars.”
We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, books we've recently featured on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience. This month’s titles are CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber and the aforementioned CITY OF SAINTS & THIEVES by Natalie C. Anderson.
Our poll continues to ask what book genre you’re reading right now. Click here to let us know!
Ian Rankin and Lisa Gardner’s new novels release on Tuesday, and we’re giving you the chance to win both in our Word of Mouth contest. Simply let us know what books you’ve finished reading, and you’ll be in the running to win RATHER BE THE DEVIL and RIGHT BEHIND YOU. The deadline for your entries is Friday, February 3rd at noon ET.
In a book group? The clock is ticking for you to share your favorite books of last year before we compile our “Best Of 2016” lists! This list will be created from YOUR selections. By sharing your thoughts, you will be eligible to win a collection of SIX fantastic titles: A PIECE OF THE WORLD by Christina Baker Kline, THE HOPE CHEST by Viola Shipman, THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE by Lisa See, THE WOMEN IN THE CASTLE by Jessica Shattuck, MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS by Vaddey Ratner, and THE CHILBURY LADIES' CHOIR by Jennifer Ryan. Click here to share both your favorite book that you read with your group in 2016 and your favorite book that you read outside your group by Tuesday, January 31st at noon ET. Be sure to let your group members know about this contest; you can share the winning titles!
News & Pop Culture:
Reader Mail:
Michelle, the winner of our Year-End Bets On contest, shared the above photo of her with her prize books and this note: “I received all the WONDERFUL books yesterday and it felt like my own little Christmas all over again. I have attached my picture and hopefully it comes through well enough to show you my happiness about being the lucky winner! Still smiling.” Love seeing this! Enjoy, Michelle!
We also heard from Wendy, who was another Year-End Contest winner; she received five of my 2016 selections: “Thank you so much for the box of books! They arrived yesterday and I couldn't wait to open the box to see what 5 books I received. The bonus was that they were all books that I had yet to add to my library! Can't wait to dig in and start reading."
Kathy was one of our Word of Mouth winners last month and wrote: “I was beyond excited when the books HER EVERY FEAR and THE NOWHERE MAN arrived! I was truly looking forward to reading THE NOWHERE MAN as I just loved ORPHAN X so much. I haven't read anything by Peter Swanson yet, but hopefully he will have a new fan. Thank you so much for the wonderful prize! Nothing beats reading!”
Suzanne from Arizona shared, “A great story in the Courier News about your life and accomplishments. I was so glad to read such a thorough description. Thanks for giving a link. I never would have known such interesting detail about you if you hadn't.”
Margy from Wisconsin wrote, “I love the new newsletter, too! So easy and clean. One of the Edgar nominees --- Nicholas Petrie --- is a dad at our school…. Fun to have a current author in our midst! (Peter Straub went to the same Milwaukee high school, so maybe there’s a tradition to be continued there…?!)”
Betty wrote, “Just had to tell you that I read BEHIND HER EYES, and it is MIND BLOWING!! It releases the end of the month. Fans of GONE GIRL, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN and BEHIND CLOSED DOORS will love it.” Note that this is an upcoming Winter Reading contest title.
Excellent HBO Documentary: “Risky Drinking” looks at dangerous drinking through the lives of four people. It is brilliantly done.
“House of Cards”: It’s back on Netflix on May 30th.
I finished listening to Bruce Springsteen’s BORN TO RUN; I learned so much about this New Jersey icon, who shared a deep look into his life and his music. Highly recommended.
Greg’s 27th birthday (yes, he caught up with me as I am holding at 27) is this Saturday, and he is in Florida visiting friends for the weekend to celebrate. We will do cake and candles next weekend. Cory has promised to come home for dinner at least one night this weekend to hang out with Tom as Greg and I are both away. Tom can watch golf and read AMERICAN ULYSSES without interruption and new ideas for projects from me!
The fact that I am in Minneapolis for the weekend guarantees that every amaryllis in the house will bloom over the weekend, just like all the peonies bloom in the spring when I am at BookExpo.
And now I am off to catch up with my bookseller friends for what promises to be very a stimulating and exciting weekend! More about this next week.
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!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound
Bookreporter.com Talks to JP Delaney, Author of
THE GIRL BEFORE --- a Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Title and a Bookreporter.com Bets On Selection
THE GIRL BEFORE is the first psychological thriller from JP Delaney, a pseudonym for a writer who has previously written bestselling fiction under other names. This enthralling novel spins one woman’s seemingly good fortune, and another woman’s mysterious fate, through a kaleidoscope of duplicity, death and deception. In this interview, Delaney talks to Carol Fitzgerald, the president and co-founder of The Book Report Network, about the mysterious house at the center of the story --- a minimalist architectural masterpiece with secrets of its own --- as well as how the book evolved over the 15 years he spent writing it.
THE GIRL BEFORE by JP Delaney (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Emilia Fox and Finty Williams, with Lisa Aagaard Knudsen
Reeling from a traumatic break-in, Emma wants a new place to live. But none of the apartments she sees are affordable or feel safe. Until One Folgate Street. The enigmatic architect who designed the house retains full control. The space is intended to transform its occupant --- and it does. After a personal tragedy, Jane needs a fresh start. When she finds One Folgate Street, she is instantly drawn to the space --- and to its aloof but seductive creator. Jane soon learns about the untimely death of the home’s previous tenant, a woman similar to her in age and appearance. As Jane tries to untangle truth from lies, she unwittingly follows the same patterns, makes the same choices, crosses paths with the same people, and experiences the same terror as the girl before. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE GIRL BEFORE will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Read Carol's commentary in the February 3rd newsletter.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to visit the book's official website.
- Click here to read JP Delaney's bio.
- Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
- Click here to read more in our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
Click here to read our interview.
Featured Review: FATAL by John Lescroart
FATAL by John Lescroart (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jacques Roy
Kate and her husband, Ron, attend a dinner party where they meet another couple, Peter and Jill. Kate and Peter only exchange a few pleasant words, but Kate is suddenly overcome with a burning desire for Peter. Her fixation on him results in an intense, passionate encounter between the two. Confident that her life can now go back to normal, Kate never considers that Peter may not be so willing to move on. Not long after their affair, a masked man barges into the café Kate is sitting in with her best friend, firing an assault weapon indiscriminately into the crowd. This tragedy is the first in a series of horrifying events that will show Kate just how grave the consequences of one mistake can be. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: HOMESICK FOR ANOTHER WORLD
by Ottessa Moshfegh
HOMESICK FOR ANOTHER WORLD: Stories by Ottessa Moshfegh (Fiction/Short Stories)
There's something eerily unsettling about Ottessa Moshfegh's stories, something almost dangerous, while also being delightful and even laugh-out-loud funny. Her characters are all unsteady on their feet in one way or another; they all yearn for connection and betterment, though each in very different ways, but they are often tripped up by their own baser impulses and existential insecurities. HOMESICK FOR ANOTHER WORLD is a master class in the varieties of self-deception across the gamut of individuals representing the human condition. But part of the unique quality of Moshfegh’s voice is the way the grotesque and the outrageous are infused with tenderness and compassion. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE TRAPPED GIRL by Robert Dugoni
THE TRAPPED GIRL by Robert Dugoni (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Sutton-Smith
When a woman’s body is discovered submerged in a crab pot in the chilly waters of Puget Sound, Detective Tracy Crosswhite finds herself with a tough case to untangle. Before they can identify the killer, Tracy and her colleagues on the Seattle PD’s Violent Crimes Section must figure out who the victim is. Her autopsy, however, reveals she may have gone to great lengths to conceal her identity. After evidence surfaces that their Jane Doe may be a woman who suspiciously disappeared months earlier, Tracy is once again haunted by the memory of her sister’s unsolved murder. As she begins to uncover a twisted tale of brutal betrayal and desperate greed, Tracy will find herself risking everything to confront a killer who won’t go down without a deadly fight. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
UNDER PRESSURE: A Body Armor Novel by Lori Foster (Romantic Suspense)
Audiobook available, performed by Alexander Cendese
Leese Phelps’ road hasn’t been an easy one, but it’s brought him to the perfect job --- working for the elite Body Armor security agency. And what his newest assignment lacks in size, she makes up for in fire and backbone. But being drawn to Catalina Nicholson is a dangerous complication, especially since it could be the very man who hired Leese who’s threatening her.
What Catalina knows could get her killed. But who’d believe the sordid truth about her powerful stepfather? Beyond Leese’s ripped body and brooding gaze is a man of impeccable honor. He’s the last person she expects to trust --- and the first who’s ever made her feel safe. And he’s the only one who can help her expose a deadly secret, if they can just stay alive long enough…
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Lori Foster's bio.
- Visit Lori Foster's website and Pinterest.
- Connect with Lori Foster on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: THE NOWHERE MAN
by Gregg Hurwitz
THE NOWHERE MAN: An Orphan X Novel by Gregg Hurwitz (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Brick
I confess to having a huge crush on Evan Smoak, the protagonist in Gregg Hurwitz’s Orphan X series. THE NOWHERE MAN is the second book in the series (ORPHAN X was the first, and it, too, was a Bets On selection), and it’s another winner, though in a different way.
To catch you up, Evan was an orphan selected for the Orphan Program, which trained young kids to become assassins around the world. Evan walked away from the program, but not before amassing a fortune, which he now shares with those who need his help. In THE NOWHERE MAN, the tables turn on Evan as he is captured and now has to put together his smarts and physical talents not just to rescue himself, but to do it in time to save the next person who is calling for his help.
The tension is palpable, and I found myself realizing that in this book the action is as cerebral as it is physical. Evan’s skill set here is not just his brawn, but also his brain. Where Evan is being held is a very big part of the story, and how he orchestrates events is a testament to Gregg’s deftness as a thriller writer. One quibble: I did miss Evan’s amazing apartment that figured so prominently in the first book, as well as more of his relationships with people in his building, and hope to see more of that in the third installment.
Those who have not started the books yet, you can line them up and get reading, binge-style. My husband did that with ORPHAN X this summer, and was bleary-eyed more than one morning. When I handed him an advance copy of THE NOWHERE MAN, he clocked another few late nights, even walking away from watching baseball to read. Remember, I warned you about the sleepless nights. Gregg could start a sideline job writing excuse notes for people who miss work when they are up all night or are ready to hunker down for the day with both ORPHAN X and THE NOWHERE MAN.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Bookreporter.com's 12th Annual Valentine's Day Contest: Enter to Win Books and Sweet Treats
for Yourself or Your Valentine!
Valentine's Day is only a few heartbeats away. We can't think of a better way to celebrate this special day than to cuddle up with your loved one...and a good book, of course!
We're giving readers the chance to win one of our five Bookreporter.com Valentine's Day prize packages, which includes one copy of each of our featured titles and some delicious chocolates. Enter between now and Tuesday, February 14th at noon ET for your opportunity to be a lucky (and beloved!) winner.
If you're feeling frisky, share with us your all-time book character crush. Don't be shy, we all got 'em! We'll post the top 10 literary loves and lusts --- along with the five winners --- right after Valentine's Day.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com's Third Annual
Winter Reading Contests and Feature
At Bookreporter.com, we are kicking off 2017 with our third annual Winter Reading Contests and Feature. On select days between now and February 24th at noon ET, we are hosting a series of 24-hour contests spotlighting a book releasing this winter and giving five lucky readers a chance to win it. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, January 30th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include:
Click here to read all the contest details.
TRANSIT by Rachel Cusk (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Julia Franklin
In the wake of her family’s collapse, a writer and her two young sons move to London. The process of this upheaval is the catalyst for a number of transitions --- personal, moral, artistic and practical --- as she endeavors to construct a new reality for herself and her children. In the city, she is made to confront aspects of living that she has, until now, avoided, and to consider questions of vulnerability and power, death and renewal, in what becomes her struggle to reattach herself to, and believe in, life. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS by Laurie Frankel (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Gabra Zackman
When Rosie and Penn and their four boys welcome the newest member of their family, no one is surprised it’s another baby boy. At least their large, loving, chaotic family knows what to expect. But Claude is not like his brothers. One day he puts on a dress and refuses to take it off. He wants to bring a purse to kindergarten. He wants hair long enough to sit on. When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl. Rosie and Penn aren’t panicked at first. Kids go through phases, after all, and make-believe is fun. But soon the entire family is keeping Claude’s secret. Until one day it explodes. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
CLOWNFISH BLUES by Tim Dorsey (Mystery/Humor)
Audiobook available, performed by Oliver Wyman
Serge A. Storms and Coleman’s adventure traveling the byways of the Sunshine State’s underbelly is about to take a detour. Someone is trying to tilt the odds in the state lottery amidst a conga line of huge jackpots, spinning off more chaos than any hurricane season. With this much at stake, of course every shady character wants in. Crooked bodega owners, drug cartels laundering money through the lottery, and venture capitalists are all trying to game the system --- and lining up to get their cut. They’re also gambling with their lives, because when Serge and Coleman get hip to this timely (and very lucrative) trip, there’s no telling whose number is up next. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
DAYS WITHOUT END by Sebastian Barry (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Aidan Kelly
Thomas McNulty, aged barely 17 and having fled the Great Famine in Ireland, signs up for the U.S. Army in the 1850s. With his brother in arms, John Cole, Thomas goes on to fight in the Indian Wars --- against the Sioux and the Yurok --- and, ultimately, the Civil War. Orphans of terrible hardships themselves, the men find these days to be vivid and alive, despite the horrors they see and are complicit in. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
THE FIFTH PETAL by Brunonia Barry (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Ann Marie Lee
When a teenage boy dies suspiciously on Halloween night, Salem's chief of police, John Rafferty, who is now married to gifted lace reader Towner Whitney, wonders if there is a connection between his death and Salem’s most notorious cold case --- a triple homicide dubbed "The Goddess Murders," in which three young women, all descended from accused Salem witches, were slashed on Halloween night in 1989. He finds unexpected help in Callie Cahill, the daughter of one of the victims newly returned to town. Neither believes that the main suspect, respected local historian Rose Whelan, is guilty of murder or witchcraft. But exonerating Rose might mean crossing paths with a dangerous force. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
PERFECT LITTLE WORLD by Kevin Wilson (Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by Therese Plummer
When Isabelle Poole meets Dr. Preston Grind, she’s fresh out of high school, pregnant with her art teacher's baby, and totally on her own. Izzy knows she can be a good mother, but without any money or relatives to help, she’s left searching. Dr. Grind, an awkwardly charming child psychologist, has spent his life studying family, even after tragedy struck his own. Now, with the help of an eccentric billionaire, he has the chance to create a “perfect little world” --- to study what would happen when 10 children are raised collectively, without knowing who their biological parents are. He calls it The Infinite Family Project, and he wants Izzy and her son to join. This attempt at a utopian ideal starts off promising, but soon the gentle equilibrium among the families disintegrates. Reviewed by Bianca Ambrosio.
NO MAN'S LAND by Simon Tolkien (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Christian Coulson
After the death of his mother, Adam Raine and his father head north of London to the coal mining town of Scarsdale. Tensions between the miners and their employer, Sir John Scarsdale, escalate, and finally explode with terrible consequences. Adam’s fate shifts once again, and he finds himself drawn into the opulent Scarsdale family home where he makes an enemy of Sir John’s son, Brice. However, Adam finds consolation in the company of Miriam, the local parson’s beautiful daughter with whom he falls in love. When they become engaged and Adam wins a scholarship to Oxford, he starts to feel that his life is finally coming together --- until the outbreak of World War I threatens to tear everything apart. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.
QUICKSAND: What It Means to Be a Human Being by Henning Mankell (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Sean Barrett
In January 2014, Henning Mankell received a diagnosis of lung cancer. QUICKSAND is a response to this shattering news --- but it is not a memoir of destruction. Instead, it is a testament to a life fully lived, a tribute to the extraordinary but fleeting human journey that delivers both boundless opportunity and crucial responsibility. In a series of intimate vignettes, Mankell ranges over rich and varied reflections. Along the way, he ponders the meaning of a good life, and the critically important ways we can shape the future of humanity if we are fortunate enough to have the choice. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
MEXICO: Stories by Josh Barkan (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Robert Fass
The characters in Josh Barkan’s story collection --- chef, architect, nurse, high school teacher, painter, beauty queen, classical bass player, plastic surgeon, businessman, mime --- are simply trying to lead their lives and steer clear of violence. Yet, inevitably, crime has a way of intruding on their lives all the same. A surgeon finds himself forced into performing a risky procedure on a narco killer. A teacher struggles to protect lovestruck students whose forbidden romance has put them in mortal peril. A painter’s freewheeling ways land him in the back of a kidnapper’s car. Again and again, the walls between “ordinary life” and cartel violence are shown to be paper thin, and when they collapse the consequences are life-changing. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE MAN WHO SHOT OUT MY EYE IS DEAD: Stories by Chanelle Benz (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Johanna Parker, Cassandra Campbell, Tristan Morris, Janina Edwards, James Shippy and Matthew Waterson
A brother and sister turn outlaw in a wild and brutal landscape. The daughter of a diplomat disappears and resurfaces across the world as a deadly woman of many names. A young Philadelphia boy struggles with the contradictions of privilege, violence, and the sway of an incarcerated father. A monk in 16th-century England suffers the dissolution of his monastery and the loss of all that he held sacred. The characters in Chanelle Benz's debut share a thirst for adventure that sends them rushing full-tilt toward the moral crossroads, becoming victims and perpetrators along the way. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
MINIATURES: The Very Short Fiction of John Scalzi written by John Scalzi, illustrated by Natalie Metzger (Science Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by John Scalzi, Luke Daniels, Peter Ganim, Khristine Hvam, Greg Cope White and Fred Berman
The ex-planet Pluto has a few choice words about being thrown out of the solar system. A listing of alternate histories tells you all the various ways Hitler has died. A lawyer sues an interplanetary union for dangerous working conditions. And four artificial intelligences explain, in increasingly worrying detail, how they plan not to destroy humanity. These four stories, along with 14 other pieces, have one thing in common: They're short, sharp and to the point --- science fiction in miniature, with none of the stories longer than 2,300 words. But in that short space exist entire universes, absurd situations, and the sort of futuristic humor that propelled Scalzi to a Hugo with his novel, REDSHIRTS. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
THE CHOSEN MAIDEN by Eva Stachniak (Historical Fiction)
Bronia is a gifted young ballerina, but she is quickly eclipsed by her brother, Vaslav. Deemed a prodigy, Vaslav Nijinsky will grow into the greatest, and most provocative, dancer of his time. To prove herself her brother's equal in the rigid world of ballet, Bronia will need to be more than extraordinary, defying society's expectations of what a female dancer can and should be. The real-life muse behind one of the most spectacular roles in dance, The Rite of Spring's Chosen Maiden, Bronia rises to the heights of modern ballet through grit, resilience and fervor. But when the First World War erupts and rebellion sparks in Russia, Bronia --- caught between old and new, traditional and ground-breaking, safe and passionate --- must begin her own search for what it means to be modern. Reviewed by Sarah Jackman.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on January 31st
Below are some notable titles releasing on January 31st 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 January 30th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster (Fiction)
Nearly two weeks early, Archibald Isaac Ferguson is born. From that single beginning, Ferguson’s life will take four simultaneous and independent fictional paths. Four identical Fergusons made of the same DNA, four boys who are the same boy, go on to lead four parallel and entirely different lives.
BEHIND HER EYES by Sarah Pinborough (Psychological Thriller)
On a rare night out, single mom Louise meets a man in a bar and sparks fly. When she arrives at work on Monday, she meets her new boss, David --- the man from the bar. David is married and says the kiss was a terrible mistake, but he still can’t keep his eyes off her. And then Louise bumps into Adele, who’s new to town and in need of a friend. But she also just happens to be married to David.
THE BLOOD OF EMMETT TILL by Timothy B. Tyson (History)
In 1955, a 14-year-old black boy named Emmett Till was murdered by a group of white men. He had gone into a small country store a few days earlier and made flirtatious remarks to a white woman, 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant; Bryant’s husband and brother-in-law were two of Till’s attackers. THE BLOOD OF EMMETT TILL revises the history of the Till case, not only changing the specifics that we thought we knew, but showing how the murder ignited the modern civil rights movement.
THE MEN IN MY LIFE: A Memoir of Love and Art in 1950s Manhattan by Patricia Bosworth (Memoir)
Acclaimed biographer Patricia Bosworth recalls her emotional coming of age in 1950s New York in this profound and powerful memoir --- a story of family, marriage, tragedy, Broadway and art, featuring a rich cast of well-known literary and theatrical figures from the period.
THE PRISONER: A John Wells Novel by Alex Berenson (Thriller)
Evidence is mounting that someone high up in the CIA is passing messages to ISIS, alerting them to planned operations. Finding out the mole’s identity without alerting him will be very hard, and to accomplish it, John Wells will have to do something he thought he’d left behind forever. He will have to reassume his former identity as an al Qaeda jihadi, get captured, and go undercover to befriend an ISIS prisoner in a secret Bulgarian prison.
RATHER BE THE DEVIL by Ian Rankin (Mystery)
When Rebus starts reexamining the facts behind the long-ago murder of a glamorous woman at a luxurious hotel --- on the same night a famous rock star and his entourage were also staying there --- the past comes roaring back to life with a vengeance. And as soon as Rebus starts asking questions about the long forgotten crime, a fresh body materializes.
RIGHT BEHIND YOU by Lisa Gardner (Thriller)
Eight years ago, Sharlah May Nash’s older brother beat their drunken father to death with a baseball bat in order to save both of their lives. Now 13 years old, Sharlah has finally moved on and is about to be adopted by retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner. But when a double murder occurs, it appears that the shooter may very well be Sharlah’s older brother --- and that his killing spree has only just begun.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Young Adult Books You Want to Read
Here are this month's books we featured on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience:
CITY OF SAINTS & THIEVES by Natalie C. Anderson (Mystery/Thriller)
In the shadows of Sangui City, there lives a girl who doesn't exist. After fleeing the Congo as refugees, Tina and her mother arrived in Kenya looking for the chance to build a new life and home. Her mother quickly found work as a maid for a prominent family, headed by Roland Greyhill, one of the city’s most respected business leaders. But Tina soon learns that the Greyhill fortune was made from a life of corruption and crime. So when her mother is found shot to death in Mr. Greyhill's personal study, she knows exactly who’s behind it. With revenge always on her mind, Tina spends the next four years surviving on the streets alone, working as a master thief for the Goondas, Sangui City’s local gang.
CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber (Fantasy)
Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful and cruel father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over. But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Click here for more young adult books we recommend you read.
Our Latest Poll: What Genre Are You Reading Now?
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Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You're
Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
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 January 20th to February 3rd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of RATHER BE THE DEVIL by Ian Rankin and RIGHT BEHIND YOU by Lisa Gardner.
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.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
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 January 3rd to February 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of JP Delaney's THE GIRL BEFORE, read by Emilia Fox and Finty Williams, with Lisa Aagaard Knudsen, and Chris Bohjalian's THE SLEEPWALKER, read by Cady McClain and Grace Experience.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, 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.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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