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Wishing You a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah,
and All the Joys of the Season!
Tomorrow I am dressing up as an elf. You can see the pants from my costume above. Note that I am not a huge fan of costumes (I joked when I went to Comic-Con that I always would be the one not in costume), but somehow I am very into this Mrs. Claus event that I am "elfing" at tomorrow where 58 children in need will be guests. In the HUGE sack of gifts (you can see some of the bags above) that each child is receiving (including clothes, shoes, toiletries, toys and games), there will be books. My elfin duties include reading 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, working on a craft and serving refreshments.
We pulled two trees out of our holiday attic Christmas stash here for the organizers to use for setup tomorrow, along with ornaments and lights. I baked 200 sugar cookies for the party last week, trying four different recipes. Which was the best? Um, well, we should have been more scientific about it...truly. I was methodical on labeling the dough and was very proud of myself about that. Then came time to roll, cut out and bake, and things got a little dicey. Once a year, I realize that having three baking pans is not enough for holiday baking. The cookies look pretty and, oh, I can tell you which batch does not have the salt in it. Seriously, I forgot it. Baking is chemistry, my husband reminded me, proving once again that science is not my specialty!
Last weekend, in between baking, I read WHAT REMAINS TRUE by Janis Thomas, which came out earlier this month. In it, a young boy was killed in a car accident and his family is completely at odds following this. His mom cannot get out of bed, his dad is wandering through the days, his sister is trying to be normal in a world where nothing feels like it is, and his aunt is trying to hold everyone together. It has strains of THE LOVELY BONES. It is told from multiple points of view and unfolds so well.
Now I am reading Lisa Jewell's THEN SHE WAS GONE, which will be in stores on April 24th. In it, Ellie Mack disappeared at 15 and no one knows what happened. Now it's 10 years later, and her mother, Laurel, is still searching for her. I am not too far in yet to share more, but I already am seeing Lisa's strong storytelling skills set up here.
I am listening to SOMETIMES I LIE by Alice Feeney, which will be in stores on March 13th. The narrator, Stephanie Racine, is very strong, and listening has made holiday traffic gridlock a bit more tolerable. Here's the setup: "My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me. 1. I am in a coma. 2. My husband doesn't love me anymore. 3. Sometimes I lie." The storyline moves from present day (opening on Boxing Day, December 26th) to the weeks before Amber's accident. Also, entries from her childhood diary are sprinkled in here, giving the listener/reader even more of a look at Amber. I am looking forward to more listening, although I can do without the traffic!
Greg feels that Uber and Lyft have seriously compromised NYC traffic, and I do agree after last night's commute, where I was cut off a half-dozen times by these livery drivers. Plus, many of them cruise around empty. Growl.
As is our tradition, we are taking a holiday break at the office, and there will be no newsletter next Friday so our amazing staff can grab some much-deserved downtime. We’re planning to celebrate together this week before we hightail it off to various familial celebrations. On the 29th we will duck back in with an abbreviated newsletter, and then we will be back with our regular update on January 5th.
We have a number of special year-end features to share with you in this newsletter. First up is our seventh annual End-of-the-Year Contest, where one grand prize winner will be awarded all 40(!) of my Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2017, while eight other winners will receive a selection of five of these titles. Some of the books you may win include THE LYING GAME by Ruth Ware, THE NOWHERE MAN: An Orphan X Novel by Gregg Hurwitz (his upcoming Orphan X title, HELLBENT, is on my reading pile and will be in stores on January 30th), PARTING SHOT by Linwood Barclay, and STAY WITH ME by Ayobami Adebayo (which Sarah Jessica Parker just announced this week is her latest ALA Book Club Central pick). To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, January 8th at noon ET.
Next up are our Reviewer Picks! We always love hearing from our reviewers what their best books of the year were. Check out their fiction and nonfiction favorites here, and see which of their selections you agree or disagree with --- and which titles you may want to add to your 2018 reading lists. Taking a moment here to thank our reviewers for all of their fabulous work this year; we so appreciate them.
For more highlights from 2017, take a look at this page where you’ll find a number of “Best Of” lists that we’ve compiled from around the web --- including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many more.
How many print books or e-books did you read this year? And how many audiobooks did you listen to? Those are, fittingly enough, our final two poll questions of the year. Click here to let us know how much of a bookworm you have been in 2017!
Our previous poll asked if you’re planning to give books as gifts this holiday season. 80% of you are planning to give hardcovers or paperbacks, while 29% plan on giving a gift card that will allow the recipient to buy a print book, e-book or audiobook. Click here for all the results.
I’ve been loving the pieces in our Holiday Author Blog series, which we’ve brought back for a 10th(!) year. Thus far, we have heard from Alafair Burke, Tayari Jones, Chris Fabry, Karen Cleveland, Francine Rivers and Sarah Vaughan. Next week’s lineup is scheduled to feature Chloe Benjamin, A. J. Finn, Nick Petrie, Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig. We appreciate all these authors taking time out of their busy schedules to share these fun and heartwarming holiday memories with us. One piece is better than the next!
In this week’s Holiday Cheer contests, we gave away THE DEAL OF A LIFETIME by Fredrik Backman, an illustrated deluxe edition of THE PRINCESS BRIDE: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman and Michael Manomivibul, and A SECRET SISTERHOOD: The Literary Friendships of Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, George Eliot, and Virginia Woolf by Emily Midorikawa and Emma Claire Sweeney. These giveaways wrap up next week with BIRDING WITHOUT BORDERS: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World by Noah Strycker and THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE by Melanie Benjamin. Our next-to-last Holiday Cheer contest will be up on Monday, December 18th at noon ET.
THE PRINCESS BRIDE is also one of the prizes in our Holiday Bundle of Cheer contest on 20SomethingReads.com; the others are THE BOOK OF DUST: LA BELLE SAUVAGE (Book of Dust, Volume 1) by Philip Pullman, THE DIRTY BOOK CLUB by Lisi Harrison, MR. DICKENS AND HIS CAROL by Samantha Silva, and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND MISTLETOE by Melissa de la Cruz. We’re giving five readers the chance to win all five of these books; to enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, December 20th at noon ET.
We wrap up the year with our final 13 reviews of 2017. Among the most notable are THE DEMON CROWN, James Rollins’ latest Sigma Force novel that finds the members of Sigma Force making a devil’s bargain as they join forces with their most hated enemy to stop an ancient threat, and NO TIME TO SPARE, which collects the best of Ursula K. Le Guin’s online writing about what matters to her now, her concerns with this world, and her unceasing wonder at it.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include INSIDIOUS INTENT, the 10th installment in Val McDermid’s series featuring psychologist Tony Hill and former police detective Carol Jordan, which finds the duo on the hunt for a serial killer who victimizes women at weddings without a date; BRYANT & MAY: WILD CHAMBER, Christopher Fowler’s new mystery starring detectives Arthur Bryant and John May, whose latest case involves an individual who murders people in London’s parks; and IMPROV NATION, in which Sam Wasson charts the meteoric rise of improvisational comedy in the United States.
The prizes in our latest Word of Mouth contest (which we’re running for THREE weeks) are two big books releasing on January 2nd: ROBICHEAUX by James Lee Burke and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by the aforementioned A. J. Finn, the latter of which will be a Bets On pick. Let us know by Friday, January 5th at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading for your chance to win both novels.
Continuing this month is our Sounding Off on Audio contest, where we’re giving away two of my favorite audiobooks of the year: Jesmyn Ward's SING, UNBURIED, SING, read by Kelvin Harrison Jr., Rutina Wesley and Chris Chalk, and UNCOMMON TYPE: Some Stories written and read by Tom Hanks. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll be in the running to win both these audio titles.
Over on Teenreads.com, the voting has officially begun for the 2018 Teen Choice Book Award. From now until Thursday, February 1st, we're asking our readers to let us know their five favorite books of 2017. The five books that receive the most votes will serve as the finalists for Every Child a Reader’s 2018 Teen Choice Book of the Year. Click here to cast your vote, and don't forget to spread the word by using #TeenNom2018 on Twitter and Instagram.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Our reader mail this week brought a very sad email from Virginia, who lives in Ventura, California. “Our house burned down in the Thomas Fire in Ventura on December 5th. Everything is gone except our dogs and ourselves and two cars. My book collections, including autographed ones. My mother’s handwritten recipes. So overwhelming. On the bright side, I have my Kindle and iPad. Just wanted to say hey, and thanks for the Bookreporter newsletter. The last book I finished was LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE, and I loved it. There is irony here.” Irony indeed, and our hearts go out to Virginia and her family as they rebuild their lives. And once she gets settled, I want to see if we can get a few books her way to rebuild her book collection.
We got lots of reader mail about the question from a reader about where to purchase great leather bookmarks. Betsy wrote, “My leather bookmarks are all Italian, gifts over the years from an Italian teaching colleague!”
Lynn wrote, “Elizabeth should check museum gift shops and catalogs for bookmarks. Their stuff is usually high quality. Calendars aren't the only things to save for a few years as the dates line up for a future year. My diary is titled 'The American Artist Diary 1978.' It's been a perfect match for 2018! I found it a couple of years ago in our local Friends of the Library used bookstore. Also found at the store and on my shelf for the future is 'B.A.S.S. Daily Planner & Fishing Guide 2000.' Love reading your newsletters with a cup of coffee on Saturday mornings. They are always informative and entertaining. Looking forward to another year of your excellent help choosing the best books available.”
Another Betsy wrote, “Colonel Littleton in Lynnville, Tennessee, has beautiful leather goods. Made there. From American leather. colonellittleton.com.”
Heidi wrote, “I have found lots of quality leather bookmarks in the U.K. She could try ordering them online from U.K. bookstores or maybe U.K. Amazon.”
Linda shared, “The DAR Museum in DC used to carry some very nice leather bookmarks with images of Constitution Hall. That might be too specific for your northern Virginia reader's needs. She might call Politics and Prose Bookstore and see if they carry them; it's a Metro ride away depending where she resides. They used to be available at most bookstores. A belated Happy Birthday and Happy Holidays! I always enjoy your newsletters. Thank you.”
Donalene wrote, “I googled the store at St. Patrick's Cathedral since your reader said that she had bought some there. They have one style showing the cathedral in four different colors at $4 each. If she ever has a friend going to Italy or if she should be going, the leather school at Florence has beautiful ones. Several years ago, I had my husband get me some for my book club as well as several for me. I hope that she has success.” She also shared, “Thank you so much for telling the story of Mrs. Claus in your town and giving a link to the story. What a remarkable woman! I am so glad that she accepted your kind offer of books for the children. Books are such an important gift to give, encouraging children to read. I wouldn't be able to offer much, but if I were nearby, I would offer to wrap presents. I love doing that --- selecting the paper and wrapping and deciding on ribbon. I hope that you enjoy the event.”
Connie wrote, “Hi. I enjoy reading your newsletter every week. I feel somehow close to you for a couple of reasons. 1) Your birthday is December 7th; my mom's is December 8th. 2) Your favorite color is turquoise; so is my sister's. When she got married, her colors were turquoise and gold. I am intrigued by your cookie recipes. If possible, I would love one of the sugar cookie recipes and the black tea cardamom one. Thanks for keeping us updated on books, movies and TV shows. Merry Christmas to you and your family.” Here is one of the sugar cookies, and here are the Black Tea Cardamom ones.
Jani wrote, “Belated but heartfelt birthday wishes. I am doing my annual re-read of Rosamunde Pilcher's WINTER SOLSTICE. I just love her books and recommend her to friends looking for 'new' authors. As I have read and reviewed many of Lauren Willig's books, I feel that she is the modern-day Pilcher, and am looking forward to reviewing her next book. Have a wonderful holiday season!”
Betsy also shared this about our Advent books story: “As a mom who used Advent calendars of various sorts when my children were young, I was interested in the idea about using books as Advent or Hanukkah calendars. It reminded me to share this nice idea related to books for children. In the last several years, I have been to baby showers (for members of the same family!) where invitees were invited to bring a book for the baby rather than buy an expensive card or wrapping. And you've gotta know that once people start buying books for a baby (including those their own children loved), they give more than one. What fun for all of us!”
Sharon wrote, “May be a couple of days late, but glad to see your birthday was a very good one. Wishing you many more days of joy through the coming years. We apparently share a birthday --- only many years apart as this was my 81st --- and had similar celebrations in that my husband took me to a very nice restaurant for dinner. I, too, love turquoise and think your wreath is beautiful. Always enjoy your newsletter and your encouragement to share books.”
Barbara wrote, “I have so enjoyed the newsletter every week for many years. I think I became aware of your wonderful reviews back in the days when you were on AOL. Multiple thanks to you and your dedicated staff on the detailed and honest reviews. I love my Friday night rituals of Bordeaux and Bookreporter! Relaxing end to hectic weeks! As for your holiday wreath, the bow ribbon is out of proportion to the size of the wreath. You need wider ribbon! OR put a smaller bow on the four middles. And maybe a little more BLING to make it sparkle more. Happy Holidays.” I am going to make the bow bigger and shop for more bright white or silver bling. Thanks, Barbara!
Emily Giffin and Harlan Coben share gift-giving ideas here.
Watch Mary Higgins Clark, who turns 90(!) on Christmas Eve, talk about her career here and here.
Check out Walter Isaacson talking about Leonardo da Vinci on "CBS Sunday Morning" here.
100 Books in a Day: Here is the story about a little boy who read 100 books in a day.
Fun Tote Bag Gift for Readers: Check this out.
For Knitters: Check out this necklace that does double duty as a needle sizer.
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel": I have been watching Season 1 on Amazon Prime and am enjoying it. I set up a Fire Stick in the kitchen, so I was watching as I baked last week. Fun!
After I play an elf tomorrow, I will be baking brownies for the guys at the parking garage, and then next weekend there will be more cookie baking for Tom and the boys. My sister flies in next week, and we will celebrate with her next Friday. For Christmas Eve, we are planning to do our version of the Seven Fishes; one course will be sushi. My parents will be at our house for Christmas Day, and I need to start pulling together that menu.
I still need to do shopping...I have BOOK gifts under control.
Wishing you all the joys of the season. Take some time to relax and just enjoy the spirit of the season…and make some new memories while you embrace old traditions.
Read on, and we will be back with a brief newsletter on December 29th…and lots more on January 5th.
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, perhaps as you do your holiday shopping!
Special Contest: Enter to Win Our End-of-the-Year Celebration, Featuring All 40 "Bets On" Titles from 2017
We are thrilled to announce a very special contest featuring Carol Fitzgerald’s Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2017. One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 40 books, while eight other winners will receive a selection of five of these titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, January 8th at noon ET.
Here are this year's Bookreporter.com Bets On titles:
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Reviewers Choose
Their Favorite Books of 2017
We've asked our reviewers to provide us with a list of some of their favorite books from 2017. Included is a mix of fiction and nonfiction titles, all published this year. Among their top picks are EXIT WEST by Mohsin Hamid, LINCOLN IN THE BARDO by George Saunders, GRANT by Ron Chernow, SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward, BENEATH A SCARLET SKY by Mark Sullivan, MANHATTAN BEACH by Jennifer Egan, HOURGLASS: Time, Memory, Marriage by Dani Shapiro, and TO SIRI WITH LOVE: A Mother, Her Autistic Son, and the Kindness of Machines by Judith Newman. Take a moment to read these varied lists of titles and see if you agree with any of their selections!
Click here to see our reviewer picks for 2017.
Featured Review: THE DEMON CROWN by James Rollins
THE DEMON CROWN: A Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, performed by Christian Baskous
Off the coast of Brazil, a team of scientists discovers a horror like no other, an island where all life has been eradicated, consumed and possessed by a species beyond imagination. Before they can report their discovery, a mysterious agency attacks the group, killing all but one --- Professor Ken Matsui, an expert on venomous creatures. Strangest of all, this inexplicable threat traces back to a terrifying secret buried a century ago beneath the National Mall: a cache of bones preserved in amber. The artifact was hidden away by a cabal of scientists --- led by Alexander Graham Bell --- to protect humankind. But they dared not destroy it, for the object also holds an astonishing promise for the future: the very secret of life after death. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: NO TIME TO SPARE
by Ursula K. Le Guin
NO TIME TO SPARE: Thinking About What Matters by Ursula K. Le Guin (Essays)
Ursula K. Le Guin has taken readers to imaginary worlds for decades. Now she’s in the last great frontier of life, old age, and exploring new literary territory: the blog, a forum where her voice --- sharp, witty, as compassionate as it is critical --- shines. NO TIME TO SPARE collects the best of Ursula’s blog, presenting perfectly crystallized dispatches on what matters to her now, her concerns with this world, and her wonder at it. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: INSIDIOUS INTENT by Val McDermid
INSIDIOUS INTENT by Val McDermid (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Saul Reichlin
In the north of England, single women are beginning to disappear from weddings. A pattern soon becomes clear: Someone is crashing the festivities and luring the women away --- only to leave the victims’ bodies in their own burned-out cars in remote locations. Psychologist Tony Hill and former police detective Carol Jordan are called upon to investigate, but this may be the toughest case they’ve ever had to face. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Paula McIntyre and her partner Elinor must deal with a cruel cyber-blackmailer targeting their teenage ward, Torin. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: IMPROV NATION by Sam Wasson
IMPROV NATION: How We Made a Great American Art by Sam Wasson (Entertainment/History)
Audiobook available, read by David de Vries
At the height of the McCarthy era, an experimental theater troupe set up shop in a bar near the University of Chicago. Via word of mouth, astonished crowds packed the ad-hoc venue to see its unscripted, interactive, consciousness-raising style. From this unlikely seed grew the Second City, the massively influential comedy theater troupe, and its offshoots --- the Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, “SNL” and a slew of others. Sam Wasson charts the meteoric rise of improv in this richly reported, scene-driven narrative that, like its subject, moves fast and digs deep. Reviewed by John Bentlyewski.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com's Holiday Author Blogs:
Authors Write About Their Favorite Holiday Memories
of Giving or Receiving Books
Bookreporter.com's Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature
At Bookreporter.com, we are celebrating the holiday season in style with our Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature. As our gift to you, on select days through December 20th, we are spotlighting a book and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it. You have to visit the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter the 24-hour contest. As always, we are sending our special Holiday Cheer newsletter on the days when there are contests. Click here to sign up for these email alerts.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, December 18th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
2017 "Best Of" Lists from Around the Web
This is the time of year when “Best Of” lists are everywhere. These annual roundups always seem to spark lively discussions among readers as they reflect on their favorite books of the year. Although we at Bookreporter.com don’t have a “Best Of” list of our own, we’ve compiled a number of them for you here. See which of your top picks appear on these lists and which titles you feel should've been included but weren't. Perhaps you’ll even find some books to add to your reading list as we head into the new year!
BRYANT & MAY: WILD CHAMBER: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery by Christopher Fowler (Mystery)
Audiobook available, narrated by Tim Goodman
Helen Forester takes her West Highland terrier for a walk in her street’s private garden. But minutes later she is dead, strangled yet peacefully laid out on the path, her dog nowhere to be found. The only other person in the locked space is the gardener, who finds the body and calls the police. He expects proper cops to arrive, but what he gets are Bryant, May and the wily members of the Peculiar Crimes Unit. Before the detectives can make any headway on the case, a second woman is discovered in a public park, murdered in nearly identical fashion. Bryant and May have to think and act fast to save innocent lives, the fate of the city’s parks, and the very existence of the PCU. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
WE'LL SLEEP WHEN WE'RE OLD by Pino Corrias (Psychological Thriller)
Oscar Martello, president of a film production company, is a self-made man. Despite his humble origins, he has managed to achieve unbelievable fame and success. Andrea Serrano, his best friend, is a scriptwriter who explores the themes of love and murder in his work. The beautiful actress Jacaranda Rizzi, Oscar’s muse, has a secret that has been tormenting her for many years. When a fire devastates Oscar’s villa in one of the city’s most fashionable neighborhoods and he goes missing, all of Rome is left to wonder about his fate. The evidence points to Jacaranda, but could she have orchestrated something so sinister? More important, could she have done it alone, or has Andrea played some role in the debacle? Reviewed by Gabriella Mayer.
AN UNCOMMON READER: A Life of Edward Garnett, Mentor and Editor of Literary Genius by Helen Smith (Biography)
During the course of a career spanning half a century, Edward Garnett --- editor, critic and reader for hire --- would become one of the most influential men in 20th-century English literature. Known for his incisive criticism and unwavering conviction in matters of taste, Garnett was responsible for identifying and nurturing the talents of a generation of the greatest writers in the English language, from Joseph Conrad to John Galsworthy, Henry Green to Edward Thomas, T. E. Lawrence to D. H. Lawrence. In AN UNCOMMON READER, Helen Smith brings to life Garnett’s intimate and at times stormy relationships with those writers. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
NIGHTBLIND by Ragnar Jonasson (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Will Damron
Ari Thor Arason is a local policeman who has an uneasy relationship with the villagers in an idyllically quiet fishing village in Northern Iceland --- where no one locks their doors. The peace of this close-knit community is shattered by a murder. One of Ari’s colleagues is gunned down at point-blank range in the dead of night in a deserted house. With a killer on the loose and the dark Arctic waters closing in, it falls to Ari Thor to piece together a puzzle that involves a new mayor and a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik. It becomes all too clear that tragic events from the past are weaving a sinister spell that may threaten them all. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE GOOD SAMARITAN by John Marrs (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Elizabeth Knowelden, Charlotte Cole, Matthew Lloyd Davies andTim Campbell
The people who call End of the Line need hope. They need reassurance that life is worth living. But some are unlucky enough to get through to Laura. Laura doesn’t want them to hope. She wants them to die. Laura hasn’t had it easy: she’s survived sickness and a difficult marriage only to find herself heading for 40, unsettled and angry. She doesn’t love talking to people worse off than she is. She craves it. But now someone’s on to her --- Ryan, whose world falls apart when his pregnant wife ends her life, hand in hand with a stranger. Who was this man, and why did they choose to die together? The sinister truth is within Ryan’s grasp, but he has no idea of the desperate lengths to which Laura will go. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
A-LIST: A Jake Longly Thriller by D.P. Lyle (Mystery/Thriller)
PI Jake Longly and Nicole Jemison head to New Orleans at the behest of Nicole's uncle, movie producer Charles Balfour, when his megastar, A-list actor Kirk Ford, awakens in his hotel bed with the body of Kristi Guidry, a local college coed. Ford, in the Big Easy for a location shoot, remembers little of the evening and nothing of the murder. And, to make matters worse, Kristi is the niece of a local mafioso-type who will do whatever is necessary to avenge her death. Surrounded by glitzy Hollywood stars and intimidated by seedy underworld characters, Jake and Nicole encounter nothing but obstacles. The clock is ticking as they struggle to decipher who's lying, who's telling the truth, and exactly who schemed to murder Kristi. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
ONE OF US WILL BE DEAD BY MORNING by David Moody (Science Fiction/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Gerard Doyle
Fourteen people are trapped on Skek, a barren island in the middle of the North Sea somewhere between the coasts of the UK and Denmark. Over the years this place has served many purposes, but one by one its inhabitants have abandoned its inhospitable shores. Today it’s home to Hazleton Adventure Experiences, an extreme sports company specializing in corporate team building events. A momentary lapse leads to a tragic accident, but when the body count quickly starts to rise, questions are inevitably asked. A horrific discovery changes everything, and a trickle of rumors becomes a tsunami of fear. Is this the beginning of the end of everything, or a situation constructed by the mass hysteria of a handful of desperate and terrified people? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
YOU CAN RUN by Steve Mosby (Psychological Thriller)
When a car crashes into a garage on an ordinary street, the attending officer is shocked to look inside the damaged building and discover a woman imprisoned within. As the remains of several other victims are found in the attached house, police believe they have finally identified the Red River Killer --- a man who has been abducting women for nearly 20 years and taunting the police with notes about his crimes. But now the main suspect, John Blythe, is on the run. As the manhunt for Blythe intensifies, Detective Inspector Will Turner finds himself fighting to stay involved in the investigation. The Red River killings hold a personal significance to him, and he must be the one to find the killer. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE MACEDONIAN by Nicholas Guild (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Pete Bradbury
On a cold, snow-swept night in the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon, a son is born to the king’s principal wife. His mother hates him for being his father’s child. His father hardly notices him. With two elder brothers, obscurity seems his destiny. The boy is sent off to be nursed by the chief steward’s wife. Yet, in a moment of national crisis, when Macedon is on the verge of being torn apart, the prince raised by a servant finds himself proclaimed the king. This is the story of Philip, prince and king, the forgotten boy who rose to save his country and became a legend in his own lifetime. His extensive military conquests across the Greek peninsula would pave the way for expansion under his son, Alexander the Great. Reviewed by Carly Silver.
Noteworthy Books Releasing on December 26th
As the week leading up to the holidays typically is slow in the publishing world, there are no December 19th releases to note in this section. However, you still can take a look at some of the hardcovers and paperbacks releasing that day in our "On Sale This Week" newsletter here.
Since there will be no December 22nd Weekly Update newsletter, we wanted to make you aware of some of the noteworthy books releasing on December 26th. You can find additional hardcovers and paperbacks releasing the week of the 25th in the December 19th edition of the “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
DEATH AT NUREMBERG: A Clandestine Operations Novel by W.E.B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth IV (Historical Thriller/Adventure)
When Jim Cronley hears he's just won the Legion of Merit, he figures there's another shoe to drop, and it's a big one: he's out as Chief, DCI-Europe. His new assignments, however, couldn't be bigger: to protect the U.S. chief prosecutor in the Nuremberg trials from a rumored Soviet NKGB kidnapping, and to hunt down and dismantle the infamous Odessa, an organization dedicated to helping Nazi war criminals escape to South America.
THE WANTED: An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel by Robert Crais (Thriller)
When single mother Devon Connor hires Elvis Cole, it’s because her troubled teenage son Tyson is flashing cash and she’s afraid he’s dealing drugs. But the truth is devastatingly different. With two others, he’s been responsible for a string of high-end burglaries, a crime spree that takes a deadly turn when one of them is murdered and Tyson and his girlfriend disappear.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Looking Back on Your 2017 Reading
How many print books or e-books did you read in 2017?
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1-10
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11-20
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21-30
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31-40
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41-50
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51-75
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76-100
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More than 100
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None
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I’m not sure.
How many audiobooks did you listen to in 2017?
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1-10
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11-20
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21-30
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31-40
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41-50
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51-75
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76-100
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More than 100
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None
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I’m not sure.
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I didn’t listen to audiobooks in 2017, but would like to start in 2018.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, January 5th at noon ET.
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 December 15th to January 5th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of ROBICHEAUX by James Lee Burke and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by A. J. Finn.
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 December 1st to January 2nd at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Jesmyn Ward’s SING, UNBURIED, SING, read by Kelvin Harrison Jr., Rutina Wesley and Chris Chalk, and UNCOMMON TYPE: Some Stories written and read by Tom Hanks.
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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