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Last weekend, I read TELL ME LIES by Carola Lovering. Having done so, I am glad that I am not single and in my 20s! In it, Lucy Albright heads from her upscale life on Long Island to a small California college. For her, college is a way to jumpstart her life her way. She soon meets Stephen DeMarco. He is the kind of guy who commands the room with his confidence; in him, Lucy sees a new version of herself, and it is one she likes. But there is something about Stephen that is dark, and he has the power to ruin Lucy, if she lets him. It’s a very strong debut; Carola has not just done great things with her character development, she also has nailed a strong sense of pacing. Lucy has a secret that she only tells Stephen, and Stephen is harboring a secret that could destroy him --- one that Lucy will unravel. I already am looking forward to seeing what Carola writes next.
On Wednesday night, I went to a first book club event presented by Book Club Girl at the HarperCollins offices. It was a really fun evening with their author guests: Kate Quinn, author of THE ALICE NETWORK, and Jennifer Robson, author of GOODNIGHT FROM LONDON. Both Kate and Jennifer talked about their sheer pleasure of researching; Jennifer put it so well by saying that readers only see the tip of the iceberg in a book, and below it lies a whole lot more. In addition to discussing their upcoming titles, attendees were given early pre-publication galleys of each of these books. These are the copies produced even before there is a cover; they are one step up from bound manuscripts, and still are awaiting final edits.
Kate’s upcoming book is THE HUNTRESS (coming February 26, 2019), and again it’s based on a true story. An English journalist who has survived war reporting and a Russian woman who was a bomber pilot in the war join together to track a Nazi war criminal who is somewhere in America. Jennifer’s THE GOWN (coming December 31st) is the story of the creation of Queen Elizabeth’s wedding gown. Again, there are three women at the heart of the story; two of them worked on the embroidery for the gown, and one is in modern day who is wondering about a piece of embroidery from her grandmother. The room was packed with enthusiastic book lovers, and I was happy to see so many of our readers there. Above you can see a photo of Kate (on the left) and Jennifer (on the right). In the middle is Jennifer Hart, aka "Book Club Girl."
Yesterday morning, I started reading BECOMING MRS. LEWIS by Patti Callahan, which will be coming on October 2nd. It's the story of Joy Davidman, who first turned to C.S. Lewis for spiritual guidance, and then became the woman who won his heart. The book is richly atmospheric; as I am reading, I feel myself walking on the campus of Oxford with Joy and Jack, which is how Lewis was known to friends. Joy was a writer in her own right; Patti has drawn her character so strongly, as readers get a deep-dive look into the feelings of these two strong people --- and she has given Joy a voice that many may not have heard. This book is Patti’s first work of historical fiction, and she is well in her element writing it. I look forward to finishing it this weekend.
Bookreporter.com readers know that we’re all about spreading a love of reading, and we’re always eager to introduce you to reading programs across the country that catch our eye. Talbots, the nationally renowned womenswear retailer, is hosting a summer-long book club event to get shoppers (and readers!) to share books they love and discover new ones. In partnership with Talbots, we're giving away a fabulous grand prize --- a $250 Talbots gift card and a bundle of books! To enter this very special contest, all you have to do is fill out this form by Friday, June 29th at noon ET.
Now to this week’s update…
Fredrik Backman returns to Beartown, a small community tucked deep in the forest, in his latest novel, US AGAINST YOU. No matter how difficult life gets, the citizens of Beartown have always been able to take pride in their local ice hockey team. So it’s devastating when they hear that Beartown ice hockey might soon be disbanded --- and to add insult to injury, the former Beartown players who now compete for a rival team take much satisfaction from this news. But a savior of sorts arrives in the form of a newcomer who gives Beartown hockey a surprising new coach and a chance at a comeback. As the big game approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up. By the time the last goal is scored, a resident of Beartown will be dead.
Reviewer Kate Ayers advises to “[i]mmerse yourself in US AGAINST YOU, for once you open this book, you won’t be able to resist falling into the hockey town out in the woods. Live among the residents for a few days. I guarantee that it will be tough to say goodbye when you turn the last page.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING, the much-talked-about political thriller from Bill Clinton (making his debut as a novelist) and James Patterson; THE PHARAOH KEY, which marks the conclusion of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s popular series starring Gideon Crew; FLORIDA, Lauren Groff’s collection of 11 stories that are set in, or are about, the Sunshine State; and LYING IN WAIT, a new psychological thriller from Liz Nugent (whose debut novel, UNRAVELING OLIVER, was a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick) about a Dublin family whose dark secrets and twisted relationships are suddenly revealed.
THE PHARAOH KEY is one of the prize books in our current Word of Mouth contest; the other is THE PERFECT COUPLE by Elin Hilderbrand, which we’re reviewing next week. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these novels. Be sure to enter by Friday, June 22nd at noon ET.
HOW HARD CAN IT BE?, Allison Pearson’s long-awaited follow-up to I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT (which we reviewed last week), is my latest Bets On pick. Click here for my commentary.
Please keep in mind our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest for THE BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS by Amy Meyerson, a poignant debut novel in which a woman inherits a beloved bookstore and sets forth on a journey of self-discovery. We’re giving 30 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book and give us their feedback on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 21st at noon ET.
You don’t have much longer to enter our Father’s Day contest, as the deadline is this Monday, June 18th at noon ET. Click here to submit your entries for your chance to win nine wonderful fiction and nonfiction titles for yourself or the dad in your life.
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away A DARING VENTURE by Elizabeth Camden, MR. FLOOD'S LAST RESORT by Jess Kidd, and A PLACE FOR US by Fatima Farheen Mirza, the latter of which is the first novel from Sarah Jessica Parker’s new imprint, SJP for Hogarth. Next week’s prizes will be THE COTTAGES ON SILVER BEACH: A Haven Point Novel by RaeAnne Thayne, THE MYTH OF PERPETUAL SUMMER by Susan Crandall, SLOWLY WE DIE by Emelie Schepp, and THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, June 18th at noon ET.
Our poll continues to ask which of 20 June fiction releases you are planning to read. Click here to let us know which ones, if any, you are anticipating.
Also continuing is this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. Let us know by Monday, July 2nd at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll have the chance to win the audio versions of Barbara Delinsky's BEFORE AND AGAIN, read by Mary Stuart Masterson, and B.A. Paris' BRING ME BACK, read by Kevin Hely and Cathleen McCarron.
This week, we learned that Anne Tyler’s upcoming novel, CLOCK DANCE (releasing July 10th), will be the second selection for the Barnes & Noble Book Club. Barnes & Noble will be selling a special Exclusive Book Club Edition of CLOCK DANCE, in addition to hosting a free Book Club Night to discuss the novel, in stores across the country on Wednesday, August 8th from 7pm-8pm. If you are going, let us know. We would love a report on the discussion! Remember, if you are on vacation, you can see if you can participate at a Barnes & Noble store near your vacation location.
June is Audiobook Month, and we wanted to take this opportunity to share the monthly New York Times Audiobooks Bestseller List for Fiction and Nonfiction. These lists are relatively new, and we love seeing what’s appearing on them and comparing them to the print and e-book lists. I still am listening to Lauren Weisberger's WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS, which is such fun. I find myself laughing out loud so many times as I am listening.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Janice wrote, “Thank you so much for selecting me as a winner for the recent Sounding Off on Audio contest. Yesterday, I was thrilled and surprised to open a package containing audiobooks of Ruth Ware's THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY and Stephen King's THE OUTSIDER. I'm sure I will enjoy them both. I truly enjoy your Bookreporter.com newsletter and look forward to it arriving in my email box every Friday. I have been lucky to attend some of your speed dating events at BEA in past years. You offer a great service to readers and librarians.”
Bestselling Authors Recommend Father’s Day Books --- and Ties: Harlan Coben, Nelson DeMille and Douglas Brunt (who also are members of a men’s book club, along with Lee Child and a few other authors) appeared together on "Megyn Kelly Today" on Wednesday to recommend books for Father’s Day. They paired their selections with ideas for ties to give dads. You can see the video here.
The TV Show and The Book: Here's the story about “Younger” and the book MARRIAGE VACATION by Pauline Turner Brooks. Both are about the publishing business.
“Billions” on Showtime: Brilliant season finale! Seriously one of the best.
“The Affair” on Showtime: The new season starts on Sunday night. For me, this show had a brilliant first season and since then has been uneven. I have previewed the first six episodes of this season, and there are some really well-done scenes that have stayed with me. It’s still uneven, but when the storytelling comes from two perspectives, it works.
“Succession” on HBO: The first two episodes have had some good “aha” moments.
Otto Frank Talking about Reading His Daughter Anne's Diary: Here’s the video.
Ocean's 8: I do not love going to the movies at a movie theater, but I would love to see Ocean's 8, which looks like fun!
My husband Tom, Greg and I are in the city tonight for the screening of Never Saw It Coming at the Soho Film Festival. It’s based on the book by Linwood Barclay, who also wrote the screenplay. Tom has never met Linwood, and I am looking forward to introducing them to each other.
We are headed to the beach to celebrate my dad for Father’s Day on Saturday, and then we will be celebrating with Tom here on Sunday. The weather for much of this week has been spectacular, and we are headed for a good run of it. It’s great for reading outside, and these bright days without humidity can really lift one’s spirits.
To all the fathers out there, Happy Father’s Day! And to those of you who are missing your dads this year, especially those who are experiencing the loss for the first time, special thoughts to you; hold up your memories.
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: THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING
by Bill Clinton and James Patterson
THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING by Bill Clinton and James Patterson (Political Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Dennis Quaid with January LaVoy, Peter Ganim, Jeremy Davidson and Mozhan Marnò
THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING confronts a threat so huge that it jeopardizes not just Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street, but all of America. Uncertainty and fear grip the nation. There are whispers of cyberterror and espionage and a traitor in the Cabinet. Even the President himself becomes a suspect, and then he disappears from public view. Set over the course of three days, Bill Clinton and James Patterson's political thriller sheds a stunning light upon the inner workings and vulnerabilities of our nation. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE PHARAOH KEY
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
THE PHARAOH KEY by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David W. Collins
Gideon Crew --- brilliant scientist, master thief, intrepid adventurer --- is shocked when his former employer, Eli Glinn, vanishes without a trace, and Glinn's high-tech lab Effective Engineering Solutions shuts down seemingly overnight. Fresh off a diagnosis that gives him only months to live, Crew is contacted by one of his former coworkers at EES, Manuel Garza, who has a bead on one final treasure hinted at in EES's final case, the long-awaited translation of a centuries-old stone tablet of a previously undiscovered civilization: The Phaistos Disc. What lies at the end of the trail will either save Gideon's life or bring it to a sudden, shocking close. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: US AGAINST YOU by Fredrik Backman
US AGAINST YOU by Fredrik Backman (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Marin Ireland
Beartown is home to tough, hardworking people who don’t expect life to be easy or fair. No matter how difficult times get, they’ve always been able to take pride in their local ice hockey team. So it’s a cruel blow when they hear that Beartown ice hockey might soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team, take in that fact. But then a newcomer arrives who gives Beartown hockey a surprising new coach and a chance at a comeback. As the big game approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt intensifies. By the time the last goal is scored, a resident of Beartown will be dead. 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: FLORIDA by Lauren Groff
FLORIDA by Lauren Groff (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Lauren Groff
Lauren Groff brings readers into a physical world that is at once domestic and wild --- a place where the hazards of the natural world lie waiting to pounce, yet the greatest threats and mysteries are still of an emotional, psychological nature. Among those navigating this place are a resourceful pair of abandoned sisters; a lonely boy, grown up; a restless, childless couple; a searching, homeless woman; and an unforgettable, recurring character --- a steely and conflicted wife and mother. The stories in this collection span characters, towns, decades, even centuries, but Florida becomes its gravitational center: an energy, a mood, as much as a place of residence. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
A Talbots Summer Book Club Special Contest:
Enter to Win a $250 Talbots Gift Card
and a Bundle of Books!
Bookreporter.com readers know that we're all about spreading a love of reading, and we're always eager to introduce you to reading programs across the country that catch our eye. Talbots, the nationally renowned womenswear retailer, is hosting a summer-long book club event to get shoppers (and readers!) to share books they love and discover new ones. In partnership with Talbots, we're giving away a fabulous grand prize --- a $250 Talbots gift card and a bundle of books! To enter this very special contest, please fill out this form by Friday, June 29th at noon ET.
More about the Talbots Summer Book Club:
Summer is the time to get lost in a good book and transcend into another place, time or story. We love the sense of community that books create --- a diverse circle of women with a common thread.
Now through Labor Day, Talbots invites you to stop by your local store for their “Give A Book. Get A Book” program and browse their lending library, share your favorite book and get one in return.
This year, together with some incredible women, Talbots is also creating the ULTIMATE SUMMER READING LIST! The list includes a Talbots recommended featured book of the week in partnership with Random House, influencer picks and customer submissions. Make sure to share what you are reading for a chance to win a curated gift box and a chance to be featured on our website!
Share the book you are “adding” to our Ultimate Summer Reading List with #shareyoursummerstory and visit Talbots.com/summerbookclub to learn more.
Join the Talbots community: shop, grab a book, drop one off, join the conversation!
- Click here to learn more about the Talbots Summer Book Club, and see details about their own contest where you have another opportunity to enter to win a curated Talbots gift box and a $250 Talbots gift card.
Click here to enter our Talbots Summer Book Club contest.
Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest:
THE BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS by Amy Meyerson
A woman inherits a beloved bookstore and sets forth on a journey of self-discovery in THE BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS, Amy Meyerson's poignant debut novel about family, forgiveness and a love of reading. We have 30 copies to give away to readers who would like to read the book and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 21st at noon ET.
THE BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS by Amy Meyerson (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Ann Marie Gideon
Miranda Brooks grew up in the stacks of her eccentric Uncle Billy’s bookstore, solving the inventive scavenger hunts he created just for her. But on Miranda’s 12th birthday, Billy has a mysterious falling-out with her mother and suddenly disappears from Miranda’s life. She doesn’t hear from him again until 16 years later when she receives unexpected news: Billy has died and left her Prospero Books, which is teetering on bankruptcy --- and one final scavenger hunt.
When Miranda returns home to Los Angeles and to Prospero Books --- now as its owner --- she finds clues that Billy has hidden for her inside novels on the store’s shelves, in locked drawers of his apartment upstairs, in the name of the store itself. Miranda becomes determined to save Prospero Books and to solve Billy’s last scavenger hunt. She soon finds herself drawn into a journey where she meets people from Billy’s past, people whose stories reveal a history that Miranda’s mother has kept hidden --- and the terrible secret that tore her family apart.
Bighearted and trenchantly observant, THE BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS is a lyrical story of family, love and the healing power of community. It’s a love letter to reading and bookstores, and a testament to how our histories shape who we become.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Amy Meyerson’s bio.
- Click here to visit Amy Meyerson’s website.
- Click here to connect with Amy Meyerson on Facebook.
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight
and enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: HOW HARD CAN IT BE?
by Allison Pearson
HOW HARD CAN IT BE? by Allison Pearson (Fiction/Humor)
For a while, I have been looking for a book that would make me laugh; it’s been a real challenge. I found that in HOW HARD CAN IT BE? by Allison Pearson. Many remember her protagonist, Kate Reddy, from I DON’T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT. Kate is now a stay-at-home mother who is eager to return to the workforce, but she is 49 and companies are not exactly opening their doors to her. Her children are teenagers who test her nerves, and her husband has left his job to plot a new career as a therapist, but he seems to be spending a lot more time on his high-end bike than he is plotting his future. Layer in aging parents, and Kate is at her wit’s end.
So what to do? She decides to shave a few years off her ego, hire a trainer to get her back into shape, and join a Women Returners group to plot her re-entry into the workforce. What happens from there is one really fun ride. I found myself laughing out loud, a lot, and her line “How hard can it be?” is one that many women will understand all too well. By the way, I both read it and listened to it on audio, the latter of which is narrated by Poppy Miller. I highly recommend both formats.
HOW HARD CAN IT BE? would be a great book for a book group discussion.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Bookreporter.com's 13th 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 13th 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 18th 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. You will need to check the site to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, June 18th at noon ET.
This year’s prize books include:
Click here to read all the contest details
and see the prize books being awarded in May, June, July and August.
THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS by John Connolly (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jeff Harding
In the beautiful Maine woods, a partly preserved body is discovered. Investigators realize that the dead young woman gave birth shortly before her death. But there is no sign of a baby. Private detective Charlie Parker is hired by a lawyer to shadow the police investigation and find the infant, but Parker is not the only searcher. Someone else is following the trail left by the woman, someone with an interest in much more than a missing child…someone prepared to leave bodies in his wake. And in a house by the woods, a toy telephone begins to ring and a young boy is about to receive a call from a dead woman. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
LYING IN WAIT by Liz Nugent (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Caoilfhionn Dunne, David McFetridge and Lesley McGuire
On the surface, Lydia Fitzsimons has the perfect life --- wife of a respected, successful judge, mother to a beloved son, mistress of a beautiful house in Dublin. That beautiful house, however, holds a secret. And when Lydia’s son, Laurence, discovers its secret, wheels are set in motion that lead to an increasingly claustrophobic and devastatingly dark climax. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
KUDOS by Rachel Cusk (Fiction)
A woman writer visits a Europe in flux, where questions of personal and political identity are rising to the surface and the trauma of change is opening up new possibilities of loss and renewal. Within the rituals of literary culture, Faye finds the human story in disarray amid differing attitudes toward the public performance of the creative persona. She begins to identify among the people she meets a tension between truth and representation. In this conclusion to her Outline trilogy, Rachel Cusk explores the nature of family and art, justice and love, and the ultimate value of suffering. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
I'M KEITH HERNANDEZ: A Memoir by Keith Hernandez (Sports/Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Keith Hernandez
During his illustrious career with the World Series-winning St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets, Keith Hernandez was a perennial fan favorite, earning 11 consecutive Gold Gloves, a National League co-MVP Award, and a batting title. But it was his unique blend of intelligence, humor and talent --- not to mention his unflappable leadership, playful antics and competitive temperament --- that transcended the sport and propelled him to a level of renown that few other athletes have achieved. Now, with a striking mix of candor and self-reflection, Hernandez takes us along on his journey to baseball immortality. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
GATOR: My Life in Pinstripes by Ron Guidry with Andrew Beaton (Sports/Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Ron Guidry
Legendary New York Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry recounts his years playing for one of the most storied and celebrated teams in sports history --- the world champion New York Yankees during their heyday in the Bronx Zoo years, with manic manager Billy Martin, headline-loving owner George Steinbrenner, and an ego-driven all-star cast that included everyone from slugger Reggie Jackson and All-star catcher Thurman Munson to Cy Young Award winners Sparky Lyle and Catfish Hunter. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
FIGHT NO MORE: Stories by Lydia Millet (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Madeleine Lambert
In her first story collection since LOVE IN INFANT MONKEYS, which became a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Lydia Millet explores what it means to be home. Nina, a lonely real-estate broker estranged from her only relative, is at the center of a web of stories connecting fractured communities and families. She moves through the houses of L.A.’s wealthy elite and finds men and women both crass and tender, vicious and desperate. With wit and intellect, Millet offers profound insight into human behavior from the ordinary to the bizarre: strong-minded girls are beset by the helpless, myopic executives are tormented by their employees, and beastly men do beastly things. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
BEARSKIN by James A. McLaughlin (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by MacLeod Andrews
Rice Moore is just beginning to think his troubles are behind him. He’s found a job protecting a remote forest preserve in Virginian Appalachia where his main responsibilities include tracking wildlife and refurbishing cabins. It’s hard work, and totally solitary --- perfect to hide away from the Mexican drug cartels he betrayed back in Arizona. But when Rice finds the carcass of a bear killed on the grounds, the quiet solitude he’s so desperately sought is suddenly at risk. More bears are killed on the preserve and Rice’s obsession with catching the poachers escalates, leading to hostile altercations with the locals and attention from both the law and Rice’s employers. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
SOUTHERNMOST by Silas House (Fiction)
In the aftermath of a flood that washes away much of a small Tennessee town, evangelical preacher Asher Sharp offers shelter to two gay men. In doing so, he starts to see his life anew --- and risks losing everything. With no way out but ahead, Asher takes his son, Justin, and flees to Key West, where he hopes to find his brother, Luke, whom he’d turned against years ago after Luke came out. And it is there, at the southernmost point of the country, that Asher and Justin discover a new way of thinking about the world, and a new way of understanding love. Reviewed by Sarah Jackman.
NEVER ANYONE BUT YOU by Rupert Thomson (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Reading
In the years preceding World War I, two young women meet in a provincial town in France. Suzanne Malherbe, a shy 17-year-old with a talent for drawing, is completely entranced by the brilliant but troubled Lucie Schwob, who comes from a family of wealthy Jewish intellectuals. They embark on a clandestine love affair, but then, in an astonishing twist of fate, the mother of one marries the father of the other. As “sisters” they are finally free of suspicion and move to Paris at a moment when art, literature and politics blend in an explosive cocktail. In the 1930s, with the rise of anti-Semitism and threat of fascism, they leave Paris for Jersey, creating a campaign of propaganda against Hitler’s occupying forces that will put their lives in jeopardy. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.
THE VERDUN AFFAIR by Nick Dybek (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jacques Roy
In 1921, two young Americans meet in Verdun, the city in France where one of the most devastating battles of World War I was waged. Quickly, they fall into a complicated affair against the ghostly backdrop of the ruined city. Months later, Tom and Sarah meet again at the psychiatric ward of an Italian hospital, drawn there by the appearance of a mysterious patient the doctors call Douglas Fairbanks (after the silent film actor) --- a shell-shocked soldier with no memory of who he is. At the hospital, Tom and Sarah are joined by Paul, an Austrian journalist with his own interest in the amnesiac. Each is keeping a secret; each has been shaken by the horrors of war. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to visit Nick Dybek’s website.
BUM DEAL by Paul Levine (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Luke Daniels
Second-string linebacker turned disillusioned defense attorney Jake Lassiter finally switches teams. Appointed special prosecutor in a high-profile murder case, Lassiter vows to take down a prominent surgeon accused of killing his wife. But there is no evidence, no witness and no body. And standing in Lassiter’s way are the defense lawyers: slick-talking Steve Solomon and blueblood Victoria Lord, who have their own complicated history with the defendant. Not to mention the specter of CTE, the lethal brain disease Lassiter may have contracted banging heads in the NFL. Drained of his mental edge just when he needs it most, Lassiter must do whatever it takes to win this case --- even if it costs him his life. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to visit Paul Levine’s website.
NIGHT-GAUNTS AND OTHER TALES OF SUSPENSE by Joyce Carol Oates (Mystery/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Sands Xe and Timothy John Campbell
Joyce Carol Oates’ new fiction collection opens with a woman, naked except for her high-heeled shoes, seated in front of the window in an apartment she cannot afford on her own. In this exquisitely tense narrative reimagining of Edward Hopper’s Eleven A.M., 1926, the reader enters the minds of both the woman and her married lover, each consumed by alternating thoughts of disgust and arousal, as he rushes --- amorously, murderously --- to her door. NIGHT-GAUNTS AND OTHER TALES OF SUSPENSE stands at the crossroads of sex, violence and longing --- and asks us to interrogate the intersection of these impulses within ourselves. Reviewed by John Bentlyewski.
WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT by Sandra Block (Psychological Thriller)
She doesn't remember that night. But she will never be the same. One moment, Dahlia is a successful Harvard student; the next, she wakes up from a party, the victim of a brutal assault. Her life veers into a tailspin, and what's worse, her memory of the attack has been ripped away, leaving a cold rage in its wake. Now, years later, Dahlia is a tattooed paralegal suffering from PTSD and still haunted by that night. Until one day, a video surfaces online, and Dahlia sees her attack for the first time. Now she knows what happened to her. And she knows who is to blame. Her rage is no longer cold, but burning, red hot. And she is about to make everyone pay. Reviewed by Sonia Chopra.
ROUGH BEAUTY: Forty Seasons of Mountain Living by Karen Auvinen (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Jayme Mattler
During a difficult time, Karen Auvinen flees to a primitive cabin in the Rockies to live in solitude as a writer and to embrace all the beauty and brutality nature has to offer. When a fire incinerates every word she has ever written and all of her possessions --- except for her beloved dog Elvis, her truck and a few singed artifacts --- Karen embarks on a heroic journey to reconcile her desire to be alone with her need for community. Reviewed by Benny Regalbuto.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 19th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 19th 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 June 18th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BRING ME BACK by B.A. Paris (Psychological Thriller)
Finn and Layla are driving along the highway when Finn decides to stop at a service station to use the restroom. When he returns, Layla is gone. That is the story Finn told to the police. But it is not the whole story. Ten years later, Finn is engaged to Layla’s sister, Ellen. Not long before he and Ellen are to be married, Finn gets a phone call. Someone from his past has seen Layla --- hiding in plain sight.
THE FALL OF SHANNARA: THE SKAAR INVASION by Terry Brooks (Fantasy)
The Four Lands are under siege. Wielding a magical ability virtually impossible to combat, mysterious invaders defeat the most fearsome Troll armies, then focus their savagery on the Druid order. Dar Leah, once the High Druid’s Blade, has crossed paths --- and swords --- with their ruthless leader before. So he knows that if any hope exists, it rests in the hands of the Druid Drisker Arc, now trapped inside vanished Paranor.
MURDER ON THE LEFT BANK: An Aimée Leduc Investigation Set in Paris by Cara Black (Mystery)
A dying man enters the office of Éric Besson, a lawyer in Paris’s 13th arrondissement. He is carrying a dilapidated notebook full of meticulous investment records. For decades, he has been helping a cadre of dirty cops launder stolen money. The notebook contains his full confession. He is adamant that Besson get the notebook into the hands of La Proc, Paris’s chief prosecuting attorney, so the corruption can finally be brought to light.
THE PERFECT COUPLE by Elin Hilderbrand (Fiction)
The Otis-Winbury wedding promises to be an event to remember: the groom's wealthy parents have spared no expense to host a lavish ceremony at their oceanfront estate. But it's going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons after tragedy strikes: a body is discovered in Nantucket Harbor just hours before the ceremony --- and everyone in the wedding party is suddenly a suspect.
WHEN KATIE MET CASSIDY by Camille Perri (Fiction)
Katie Daniels, a 28-year-old Kentucky transplant with a strong set of traditional values, has just been dumped by her fiancé when she finds herself seated across a negotiating table from native New Yorker Cassidy Price, a sexy, self-assured woman wearing a man's suit. At first neither of them knows what to make of the other, but soon their undeniable connection will bring into question everything each of them thought they knew about sex and love.
WHY TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD MATTERS: What Harper Lee's Book and the Iconic American Film Mean to Us Today by Tom Santopietro (Literary Criticism/Performing Arts)
Tom Santopietro traces the writing of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, the impact of the Pulitzer Prize, and investigates the claims that Harper Lee’s book is actually racist. Here for the first time is the full behind-the-scenes story regarding the creation of the 1962 film, one that entered the American consciousness in a way that few other movies ever have.
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Our Latest Poll: June Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in June are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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ALL WE EVER WANTED by Emily Giffin
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BEFORE AND AGAIN by Barbara Delinsky
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BRING ME BACK by B. A. Paris
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DREAMS OF FALLING by Karen White
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FLORIDA by Lauren Groff
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HOW HARD CAN IT BE? by Allison Pearson
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KUDOS by Rachel Cusk
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THE MOSCOW DECEPTION by Karen Robards
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THE PATCHWORK BRIDE by Sandra Dallas
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THE PERFECT COUPLE by Elin Hilderbrand
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THE PHARAOH KEY by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
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THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING by Bill Clinton and James Patterson
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THE SECRETS BETWEEN US by Thrity Umrigar
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A STEEP PRICE by Robert Dugoni
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THERE THERE by Tommy Orange
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TURBULENCE: A Stone Barrington Novel, by Stuart Woods
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US AGAINST YOU by Fredrik Backman
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WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS by Lauren Weisberger
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THE WOMAN IN THE WOODS by John Connolly
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THE WORD IS MURDER by Anthony Horowitz
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None of these
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, June 22nd 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 June 8th to June 22nd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE PERFECT COUPLE by Elin Hilderbrand and THE PHARAOH KEY by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
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 June 4th to July 2nd at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Barbara Delinsky's BEFORE AND AGAIN, read by Mary Stuart Masterson, and B.A. Paris' BRING ME BACK, read by Kevin Hely and Cathleen McCarron.
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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