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Here Comes Summer! Bring on the White Pants!
Well, we opened the pool, and all I can say is that I am glad that Tom is an expert in marine antifouling. When the temperatures were in the 70s in February and then in the 90s last week, the pool does not open with crystal clear water. He’s been working magic all week, and I am betting it will be swimmable very soon. The weather does not look great for the weekend, so I am not lamenting this.
Last weekend, I finished Heather Gudenkauf’s NOT A SOUND, which will be in stores on Tuesday. She again delivers a sharp story with strong characters and a tightly drawn plot; it will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, and we will have our review for you next week.
On Sunday, the sun was shining and I grabbed a copy of Holly Peterson’s IT HAPPENS IN THE HAMPTONS, which has one sexy, beach-worthy cover. It’s a juicy novel about life in the Hamptons told from the perspectives of those who “summer there” (those with both new and old money) --- and those who live there year-round, including those who love the surf scene. She captures the scene in all its crazy glory. Holly has spent a lot of time "out East," loves to surf and clearly knows the turf. The pace of the story is quick and fun, with enough over-the-top moments to keep you turning pages. You will think sun and surf reading it, no matter how cloudy it is!
For the last few years, we have spent a weekend each summer in the Hamptons and have observed so much of the behavior that she wraps into her story. The one thing we notice is that people are in constant motion. There would be new occupants of the space on the sand beside us 2-3 times in the course of an afternoon. Clearly there were things to do and places to be --- and be seen while we were content to stay in one place. Much was over the top, and then there was a flip side where you would meet people who lived there for years who seemed to tolerate the summer folks while waiting to get their town back post-Labor Day. You can see an interview with Holly talking about IT HAPPENS IN THE HAMPTONS here.
Right now I am reading THE LYING GAME by Ruth Ware; its opening chapter started off a brilliant read. I am looking forward to seeing where this ends up. Wow, for someone who burst on the scene just two years ago, Ruth has been busy and truly has sealed her place in the world of psychological thrillers! More on it next week.
Next up will be Nelson DeMille’s THE CUBAN AFFAIR (see the bright cover of it above, which I love), where he introduces a new protagonist in Daniel Graham MacCormick --- Mac for short. He was a U.S. Army captain and now is a charter boat captain. As I have wanted to visit Cuba since the days of Ricky Ricardo on "I Love Lucy," I am ready for Nelson to bring me some armchair adventure travel through the eyes of his characters. I am seeing him at BookExpo next Friday, and want to be sure to have it read so we can talk about it! It will be in stores on September 19th.
Most of the upcoming week will be spent at BookExpo, the convention where bookselling celebrates itself and lays out the books that will be sold in the late summer/fall/winter selling seasons. For me, this convention always is a benchmark. Back in 1996, I attended my first BookExpo, though then it was called the ABA Convention (American Booksellers Convention), and it was held that year in Chicago. I flew there knowing no one, and spent a day wandering the show floor picking up catalogs and trying to describe our plans for a website on the Internet about books to publishers who did not even have email addresses. At the time there were something like 500 sites on the web, we all were dialing up to connect, and the big players were AOL, CompuServe and Prodigy. Yeah, those days. I flew home early after shipping boxes of publisher catalogs to our New York office; I also went to see Mission: Impossible on my one night in Chicago because a) I thought that summed up what we were doing, and b) I knew no one.
Each year, planning for this convention has me taking stock of what we have done. A lot has changed in 21 years. We have six successful websites, as well as a strong author website design/development and consulting business. My schedule is packed for all three days of next week’s convention. I know a lot of people and look forward to meeting more. People are now online, and dare I say, I think they are online too much; I think we need a lot less social media and a lot more socialization. We have a few plans for the future that I am knocking around, but for next week, I am going to try to stay in the moment and enjoy every event, every author talk, every meeting, every interview, and the amazing publisher and title lineup for the Book Group Speed Dating session that we have scheduled for next Friday. It’s going to be a hectic but exciting week!
Now to this week’s update...
Fans of Michael Crichton, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of JURASSIC PARK who passed away in 2008, are rejoicing this week, as his recently discovered novel DRAGON TEETH is now in stores. The book follows the notorious rivalry between real-life paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh during a time of intense fossil speculation and discovery in the American West in the 1870s. The story unfolds through the adventures of a young fictional character named William Johnson, who is apprenticed first to one, then to the other, and makes discoveries of historic proportion. Crichton was known for his meticulous research, so it should come as no surprise that he uses the heated competition between Marsh and Cope during the Bone Wars --- the golden age of American fossil hunting --- as the basis for this thrilling story set in the wilds of the American West.
Ray Palen pays tribute to the late author in his review: “The most unbelievable thing about this novel is the mere fact that I am holding a book by Michael Crichton in my hands. When he left this earth back in 2008, a huge void was created --- one that no author since has been able to fill. His unique gift for blending fiction with science and history remain unmatched, and I can only hope that there are more hidden gems to unearth.” Also, be sure to check out Roz Shea's review of the audiobook, which is narrated by Scott Brick with the afterword read by Crichton's widow, Sherri. Fans will be thrilled to know that National Geographic Channel is developing a limited series based on DRAGON TEETH. We will fill you in on the details as soon they become available.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include A DOG’S WAY HOME by W. Bruce Cameron, which explores the unbreakable bond between us and our pets (the film adaptation of Cameron’s beloved bestseller, A DOG’S PURPOSE, released on DVD earlier this month); THE LIGHT WE LOST by Jill Santopolo, a debut novel about the enduring power of first love (the publisher promises a shocking, unforgettable ending); and G-MAN, Stephen Hunter’s latest addition to his Bob Lee Swagger saga, which finds Bob uncovering his family’s secret tommy gun war with 1930s gangsters like John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson.
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman, THE LADY TRAVELERS GUIDE TO SCOUNDRELS AND OTHER GENTLEMEN by Victoria Alexander, MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD: The Now Age Guide to a High-Vibe Life by Ruby Warrington, and SECRETS IN SUMMER by Nancy Thayer. Next week’s prizes will be COME SUNDOWN by Nora Roberts, TROPHY SON by Douglas Brunt (this will be a Bets On selection), and SECRETS OF THE TULIP SISTERS by Susan Mallery; we will feature reviews of the first two books in next week’s newsletter. The first contest of the week will go live on Tuesday, May 30th at noon ET.
Please also keep in mind our Father’s Day contest, where five winners each will be awarded 12 wonderful fiction and nonfiction books. Among these Dad-perfect titles are TESTIMONY by Scott Turow, which we reviewed last week, and EVERYBODY BEHAVES BADLY: The True Story Behind Hemingway's Masterpiece The Sun Also Rises by Lesley M. M. Blume, which we reviewed when it released in hardcover last year and is now available in paperback. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, June 19th at noon ET.
We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, books we've recently reviewed on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience. This month’s titles are AND WE’RE OFF by Dana Schwartz, THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING by Erin Chack and JUAN PABLO AND THE BUTTERFLIES by JJ Flowers.
We know many of you will be traveling this Memorial Day weekend, and this inspired our latest poll question: When you go on vacation, what do you do when it comes to books? Do you bring them with you, purchase them along the way, or do you not read books on vacation? Click here to let us know what you do!
In our previous poll, we wanted to know what type of reader you are. 34% of you identify yourselves as fast readers, only 8% are slow, and 34% are somewhere in between. Click here for all the results.
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win MAGPIE MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz and THE SUNSHINE SISTERS by Jane Green, both of which release on June 6th (we plan to have reviews of both that week). Be sure to enter by Friday, June 9th at noon ET.
We’re nearing the homestretch of this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest, where we’re giving away the audio versions of Dorothea Benton Frank's SAME BEACH, NEXT YEAR, performed by Bernadette Dunne, and Dennis Lehane's SINCE WE FELL, performed by Julia Whelan. Let us know by Thursday, June 1st at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and you’ll be in the running to win both audio titles.
Last year, Walt Whitman’s 1852 novel, LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF JACK ENGLE --- which was published under a pseudonym and serialized in a newspaper --- was rediscovered by literary scholar Zachary Turpin, who found the sole surviving copy in the Library of Congress. In February of this year, the University of Iowa Press reprinted this lost work for all to see. Whitman’s birthday is May 31st, and to celebrate, Penguin Random House Audio is releasing the audio version of the novel, which is narrated by “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm. The audiobook will be available on Tuesday, and you can listen to a sample of the narration here.
News & Pop Culture:
Reader Mail:
Cindy from Naperville wrote, “I believe I was one of the lucky winners of the Mother's Day giveaway! I just wanted to double check. I never received an email so just wondering. I'm ecstatic almost to the point of hysterical!” She indeed was one of the winners.
Mary Beth wrote, “I, too, have been reading LAST HOPE ISLAND. It makes me wonder how on earth we won the war! My husband died this week after a long illness with Frontotemporal Degeneration, a fatal brain disease. I have been reading a lot to escape. I wonder if other readers use reading this way.” I shared our collective sympathy with Mary Beth and am asking our readers: After the passing of a loved one or another stressful or life-changing event, do you escape with reading?
Hacksaw Ridge: Watched this film last weekend. It’s so intense, but so well done. I found myself asking my filmmaker friends how the intense battle scenes were choreographed to be shot. As my friend Harry said, “They are the most violent and realistic battle scenes that I have seen in a film.” I agree. Until now, that was reserved for the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan! I found myself reading more about Desmond Doss after we watched it. What a hero!
The Wizard of Lies on HBO: Well-done movie about Bernie Madoff. I still cannot believe what he pulled off. If only his genius had been used for good!
Nice Piece on the Author Who Inspired Joseph Finder To Become An Author: Read the article here. It’s why I really try to answer as much reader mail as I can, because I am grateful to those who answered mine and inspired me.
On Wednesday, as Greg and I were headed to work, we saw a statue in the back of the truck, which you can see pictured above. It was a version of Seward Johnson’s “Embracing Peace,” which at one time was known as “Unconditional Surrender.” Greg posted it on social media, and a friend of his wrote that his company owns the statue and it was on its way to Washington, DC for their Memorial Day parade. Small world.
Greg is around this weekend, and Cory has promised to stop by the hacienda for a visit. The latter was said with such sincerity that I am sure this means either Son 2A or Son 2B, or both, are back in town. The things a mother intuits.
The peonies are in bloom, of course because I will be in the city for three days next week! I always miss peak season of the peonies.
On Monday we will celebrate Memorial Day with our tradition of heading to the town parade, where there will be bands and lots of fire trucks. Last year was the first time it was rained out in years; I am hoping for clear skies on Monday. The moment when the vets come by always has me choking up, especially the older guys who now need to ride instead of walk. Please take a moment to reflect on the meaning of this three-day weekend, which also is the unofficial start of summer!
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!
Featured Review: DRAGON TEETH by Michael Crichton
DRAGON TEETH by Michael Crichton (Historical Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, performed by Scott Brick
In 1876, two monomaniacal paleontologists pillage the Wild West, hunting for dinosaur fossils, while surveilling, deceiving and sabotaging each other in a rivalry that will come to be known as the Bone Wars. Into this treacherous territory plunges the arrogant and entitled William Johnson, a Yale student who has joined world-renowned paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh on his latest expedition. But when the paranoid and secretive Marsh becomes convinced that William is spying for his nemesis, Edward Drinker Cope, he abandons him in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a locus of crime and vice. William is forced to join forces with Cope and soon stumbles upon a discovery of historic proportions. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Roz Shea's review of the audiobook.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: A DOG’S WAY HOME
by W. Bruce Cameron
A DOG'S WAY HOME by W. Bruce Cameron (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Ann Marie Lee
Lucas Ray is shocked when an adorable puppy jumps out of an abandoned building and into his arms. Though the apartment he shares with his mother, a disabled veteran, doesn’t allow dogs, Lucas can’t resist taking Bella home. After Bella is picked up by Animal Control because pit bulls are banned in Denver, Lucas has no choice but to send her to a foster home until he can figure out what to do. But Bella, distraught over the separation, doesn’t plan to wait. With 400 miles of dangerous Colorado wilderness between her and her person, Bella sets off on a seemingly impossible and completely unforgettable adventure home. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE LIGHT WE LOST by Jill Santopolo
THE LIGHT WE LOST by Jill Santopolo (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jill Santopolo
Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. Together, they decide they want their lives to mean something. When they meet again a year later, it seems fated --- perhaps they’ll find life’s meaning in each other. But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East, and Lucy pursues a career in New York. What follows is a 13-year journey of dreams, desires, jealousies, betrayals and, ultimately, love. Was it fate that brought them together? Is it choice that has kept them away? Their journey takes Lucy and Gabe continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: G-MAN by Stephen Hunter
G-MAN: A Bob Lee Swagger Novel by Stephen Hunter (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by R. C. Bray
Bob Lee Swagger has finally decided to sell the family homestead, but when the developers begin to tear down the house, they uncover a strongbox hidden in the foundation. Enclosed is an array of memorabilia dating back to 1934 --- a much-corroded federal lawman’s badge, a .45 automatic, a mysterious gun part, and a cryptic diagram --- all belonging to Charles Swagger, a World War I hero and sheriff of Polk County, Arkansas. Fascinated and puzzled by these newly discovered artifacts, Bob is determined to find out what happened to his grandfather. But he soon learns that someone is following him and shares his obsession with finding out what Charles Swagger really left behind. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE DINNER PARTY by Joshua Ferris
THE DINNER PARTY AND OTHER STORIES by Joshua Ferris (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Nicholas Tecosky
Each of these 11 stories, many of which were first published in The New Yorker, burrows deep into the often awkward and hilarious misunderstandings that pass between strangers and lovers alike, and that turn ordinary lives upside down. Joshua Ferris shows to what lengths we mortals go to coax human meaning from our very modest time on earth, an effort that skews ever-more desperately in the direction of redemption. The stories in THE DINNER PARTY are about lives changed forever when the reckless gives way to possibility and the ordinary cedes ground to mystery. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com's 12th Annual
Father's Day Contest: Best Books for Dad
Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and loved us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? In our 12th annual "Best Books for Dad" contest, we have a selection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for Dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five readers will be awarded a copy of each of our featured titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, June 19th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading
Contests and Feature
Summer will be here before you know it! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through August 24th, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. 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 Tuesday, May 30th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include:
Click here to read all the contest details
and see the prize books being awarded in May, June, July and August.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
We currently have one contest running on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?": Win 12 Copies of HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi for Your Group
Each month in our "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month" contest, 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. Our current prize book is HOMEGOING, Yaa Gyasi's award-winning debut novel that is now available in paperback. In 18th-century Ghana, two half-sisters are born. One will marry an Englishman and live in comfort. The other will be captured and sold into slavery. The book follows these sisters and their descendants through eight generations. Enter here by Thursday, June 8th at noon ET.
The following guides are now available:
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.
LOU: Fifty Years of Kicking Dirt, Playing Hard, and Winning Big in the Sweet Spot of Baseball by Lou Piniella with Bill Madden (Sports/Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Johnny Heller
For nearly five decades, Lou Piniella has been a fixture in Major League Baseball, as an outfielder with the legendary New York Yankees of the 1970s, and as a manager for five teams in both the American and National leagues. With respected veteran sportswriter Bill Madden, Piniella now reflects on his storied career, offering fans a glimpse of life on the field, in the dugout and inside the clubhouse. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
THE LONG DROP by Denise Mina (Historical/Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David Monteath
In 1950s Glasgow, a household of women were found slaughtered in their beds. The father, William Watt, had a cast iron alibi, but police were convinced he was guilty. Determined to clear his name, Watt let it be known that he would pay for information. Step forward career criminal Peter Manuel, with compelling details only the murderer could know. Watt agreed to meet him. They spent 12 hours together, driving and drinking in Glasgow pubs and clubs. No one knows what happened that night. The next time they met was in the High Court where Manuel was defending himself against the murder charges. He called Watt as a witness and quizzed him about their long, shady night together. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.
CHEMISTRY by Weike Wang (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Wayland
Three years into her graduate studies at a demanding Boston university, our unnamed narrator finds that her one-time love for chemistry is more hypothesis than reality. But there's another, nonscientific question looming: the marriage proposal from her devoted boyfriend, a fellow scientist, whose path through academia has been relatively free of obstacles, and with whom she can't make a life before finding success on her own. Eventually, the pressure mounts so high that she must leave everything she thought she knew about her future, and herself, behind. And for the first time, she's confronted with a question she won't find the answer to in a textbook: What do I really want? Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
INHERITANCE FROM MOTHER by Minae Mizumura (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Allison Hiroto
Mitsuki Katsura, a Japanese woman in her mid-50s, is a French language instructor at a private university in Tokyo. Her husband, whom she met in Paris, is a professor at a different private university. He is having an affair with a much younger woman. In addition to her husband’s infidelity, Mitsuki must deal with her ailing 80-something mother, a demanding, self-absorbed woman who is nothing like the idealized image of the patient, self-sacrificing Japanese matriarch. Mitsuki finds herself guiltily dreaming of the day when her mother will finally pass on. Though doing everything she can to ensure her mother’s happiness, she grows weary of the responsibility of being a doting daughter and worries she is sacrificing her chance to find fulfillment in her middle age. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
RISE AND SHINE, BENEDICT STONE by Phaedra Patrick (Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by James Langton
In the quiet village of Noon Sun, Benedict Stone has settled into a complacent and predictable routine. Business at his jewelry shop has dried up, and his marriage is on the rocks. But then a surprise arrives at his door. Gemma is Benedict's audacious teenage niece --- the daughter of his estranged brother, Charlie. The two Stone brothers had a falling out and haven't spoken in almost two decades, since Charlie left for America. Reckless and stubborn, Gemma invites herself into Benedict's world and turns his orderly life upside down. But she might just be exactly what he needs to get his life back on track. Reviewed by Dunja Bonacci Skenderovic.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
SKITTER by Ezekiel Boone (Apocalyptic Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
First, there was the black swarm that swallowed a man whole, the suspicious seismic irregularities in India that confounded scientists, the nuclear bomb China dropped on its own territory without any explanation. Then, scientist Melanie Guyer's lab received a package containing a mysterious egg sac; little did Dr. Guyer know that, almost overnight, Earth would be consumed by previously dormant spiders that suddenly wanted out. Now, tens of millions of people around the world are dead. According to Dr. Guyer, the crisis may soon be over. But in Japan, a giant, glowing egg sac gives a shocking preview of what is to come, even as survivors in Los Angeles panic and break the quarantine zone. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
CRIME SONG by David Swinson (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Christopher Ryan Grant
Frank Marr’s home is burglarized, leaving a body on the kitchen floor: his cousin Jeffrey, who had been involved with a small-time drugs operation. Frank’s .38 revolver --- the murder weapon --- is stolen, along with his cherished music collection, his only possessions of sentimental value. Clearly, Jeffrey was deeper in the underworld than anyone realized. With the weight of his family, his reputation and his own life on the line, Frank will have to find the culprit by following the stolen goods through a tangled network of petty thieves, desperate addicts, deceiving fences, good cops, bad cops, and one morally compromised taxi driver. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
BECOMING BONNIE by Jenni L. Walsh (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Bennett
The summer of 1927 might be the height of the Roaring Twenties, but Bonnelyn Parker is more likely to belt out a church hymn than sling drinks at an illicit juice joint. However, when her boyfriend, Roy Thornton, springs a marriage proposal on her, and financial woes jeopardize her ambitions, Bonnelyn finds salvation in an unlikely place: Dallas's newest speakeasy, Doc's. When Roy discovers her secret life, he embraces it --- perhaps too much, especially when it comes to booze and gambling. Maybe Bonnie can have it all: the American Dream, the husband, and the intoxicating allure of jazz music. But her life --- like her country --- is headed for a crash. Bonnie Parker is about to meet Clyde Barrow. Reviewed by Bianca Ambrosio.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on May 30th and June 1st
Below are some notable titles releasing on May 30th and June 1st 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 May 29th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
May 30th
AL FRANKEN, GIANT OF THE SENATE by Al Franken (Memoir)
From Senator Al Franken comes the story of an award-winning comedian who decided to run for office and then discovered why award-winning comedians tend not to do that.
COME SUNDOWN by Nora Roberts (Romantic Suspense)
Nora Roberts, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 books, has written a novel of suspense, family ties and twisted passions.
A HISS BEFORE DYING: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown (Mystery)
Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author, Sneaky Pie Brown, are back chasing mystery with their unique circle of Southern sleuths. And though the changing colors of fall are a beauty to behold, this year the scattered leaves hide a grim surprise.
NIGHTHAWK: A Kurt Austin Adventure by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown (Thriller/Adventure)
NUMA crew leaders Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala must beat the clock to stop the world’s most dazzling new technological advance from becoming mankind’s last.
NOT A SOUND by Heather Gudenkauf (Mystery/Thriller)
When Amelia Winn, who is finally getting back on her feet following a tragic accident that left her deaf, discovers the body of a fellow nurse near her cabin, she is plunged into a disturbing mystery that could shatter the carefully reconstructed pieces of her life all over again.
THEFT BY FINDING: Diaries (1977-2002) by David Sedaris (Humor/Essays)
For 40 years, David Sedaris has kept a diary in which he records everything that captures his attention. In THEFT BY FINDING, he now shares his private writings with the world.
TROPHY SON by Douglas Brunt (Fiction)
Today’s children are pushed to achieve excellence --- or else. But at what cost? TROPHY SON tells the story of a tennis prodigy, from young childhood to the finals of the US Open, Wimbledon and other tournaments around the world.
YOU WILL PAY by Lisa Jackson (Thriller)
In a fast-paced, brilliantly twisted novel of suspense from bestselling author Lisa Jackson, the deadly secrets of a long-ago summer stir to life once more.
June 1st
BEREN AND LUTHIEN written by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien, with illustrations by Alan Lee (Fantasy)
Christopher Tolkien has told the story of Beren and Lúthien in his father's own words by giving, first, its original form, and then passages in prose and verse from later texts that illustrate the narrative as it changed.
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:
AND WE’RE OFF by Dana Schwartz (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Lauren Fortgang
Seventeen-year-old Nora Holmes is an artist, a painter from the moment she could hold a brush. She inherited the skill from her grandfather, Robert, who's always nurtured her talent and encouraged her to follow her passion. Still, Nora is shocked and elated when Robert offers her a gift: an all-expenses-paid summer trip to Europe to immerse herself in the craft and to study history's most famous artists. The only catch? Nora has to create an original piece of artwork at every stop and send it back to her grandfather. Unfortunately, Nora's mother, Alice, is less than thrilled about the trip. But seconds after saying goodbye to Alice at the airport terminal, Nora hears a voice call out: "Wait! Stop! I'm coming with you!"
THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING by Erin Chack (Memoir/Essays)
Audibook available, read by Erin Chack
By turns hysterically funny and heartbreakingly poignant, BuzzFeed senior writer Erin Chack recounts everything from meeting her soulmate at age 14 to her first chemotherapy session at age 19 to what really goes on behind the scenes at a major Internet media company. She authentically captures the agony and the ecstasy of the millennial experience, whether it's her first kiss or her struggles with anxiety. Yet Erin also offers a fresh perspective on universal themes of resilience and love as she writes about surviving cancer --- including learning of her mother's own cancer diagnosis within the same year and her attempts to hide the diagnosis from friends to avoid "un-normaling" everything.
JUAN PABLO AND THE BUTTERFLIES by JJ Flowers (Fiction)
Juan Pablo lives in El Rosario, Mexico’s butterfly sanctuary, where millions of winged creatures gather together in one magical place. He loves his music, the butterflies, and his grandmother, who has fallen fatally ill --- which is why he can’t leave, even when a nefarious drug cartel overtakes the town. But the threat of the cartel becomes ever more menacing, finally endangering the life of his best friend Rocio, the girl he loves. In a heroic act of desperation to save her, Juan Pablo poisons eight members of the cartel. Together, Juan Pablo and Rocio flee, following the instructions his grandmother gave before she passed away: Follow the migration of the butterflies, where someone will be waiting for you.
Click here for more young adult books we recommend you read.
Our Latest Poll: Taking Books on Vacation
When you go on vacation, which of the following do you do? Please check all that apply.
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I bring physical books (hardcovers or paperbacks).
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I download books to an eReader.
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I bring physical audiobooks.
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I download audiobooks.
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I borrow books from the library.
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I buy books while on vacation.
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I do not read books when I go on vacation.
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 May 26th to June 9th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of MAGPIE MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz and THE SUNSHINE SISTERS by Jane Green.
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 May 1st to June 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Dorothea Benton Frank's SAME BEACH, NEXT YEAR, performed by Bernadette Dunne, and Dennis Lehane's SINCE WE FELL, performed by Julia Whelan.
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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