|
A Holiday Week That Did Not Feel Like a Holiday Week
My son, Greg, had the best line about what it’s like to have 4th of July in the middle of the week: it’s like having half a weekend in the middle of the week. I come bearing the good news that the 4th of July is not on a Wednesday again until 2029. So there will be a real 4th of July weekend for the next 10 years. I sure missed it, and I know MANY others did too. I actually spent part of the day working and then floated in the pool reading for a while until it started to drizzle, and then we barbecued some ribs. I watched Lincoln on Netflix since that seemed like it was a patriotic thing to do (and it was a movie my husband would watch with me), and I did not want to get stuck in traffic to see fireworks, though fireworks are one of my favorite things. It was not the kicked-back long weekend that I craved.
I got a nice note yesterday from the librarian who had booked me for my recent Rockville Centre event. She said, "Our patrons have put so many books from your presentation on reserve that you wouldn't believe it...our circ numbers have to have gotten a big boost." Love this! My next two events are in Avalon, NJ on Wednesday, August 1st, and then in Levittown on Long Island on Wednesday, August 15th. I hope to see many of our readers at these events.
I was going to share a photo of all the books that I want to read. So this morning I started making a pile. But then I realized that there are many piles. This is my organization structure for books to be read. Already read and not out yet (this pile makes me feel good); books I have read part of to get a sense of and want to read more of as they are very good (big pile); books already out that I have heard good things about and have not read (this is a huge pile that is stressful); summer books that I want to read (my thought here is "How did it get to be July already?"); books that I want to read before fall (still a very big pile, but feels manageable, as I put some August books in this pile pretending they were fall books); and lastly, books for 2019 that I want to read, which already has 12 in it (starting to feel like if I read these, I will get ahead).
I was convinced that I had a copy of SHARP OBJECTS on my shelf to read before the HBO series starts on Sunday night, but alas the book on the shelf is Gillian Flynn’s DARK PLACES. Well, they both have two words and are older books by Gillian, so you see how I could be confused. After a lot of sorting, I plucked two books for the weekend --- NOVEMBER ROAD by Lou Berney and TRUST ME by Hank Phillippi Ryan. And just as I was adding final touches to this newsletter, Carrie Doyle's DEATH ON BULL PATH came in the mail, and I am adding that to the weekend list. I will continue sorting and making piles, amusing myself that looking at covers and flap copy --- and sorting --- is progress.
Now to this week’s update…
Brad Thor resumes his long-running series featuring counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath with the release of its 18th installment, SPYMASTER. Across Europe, a secret organization has begun attacking diplomats. Back in the United States, a foreign ally demands the identity of a highly placed covert asset. In the balance hang the ingredients for all-out war. With his mentor out of the game, Harvath must take on the role he has spent his career avoiding.
Ray Palen has our review and says, "SPYMASTER will appeal to anyone who enjoys intelligent and insightful espionage thrillers.... Scot Harvath is pushed to the limit in the most important and dangerous mission of his career, and it is a privilege for readers to come along for the ride."
Other books we’re reviewing this week include A STEEP PRICE, the continuation of Robert Dugoni’s series starring Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite, who this time is plunged into a case of family secrets and murder (I am listening to the audiobook, and it is very well done); THE SECRETS BETWEEN US, the sequel to Thrity Umrigar’s THE SPACE BETWEEN US, in which former servant Bhima struggles against the circumstances of class and misfortune to forge a new path for herself and her granddaughter in modern India (I loved THE SPACE BETWEEN US and look forward to reading this); and THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Paul Tremblay, a psychological thriller that, according to the publisher, “recalls Stephen King’s MISERY, Ruth Ware’s IN A DARK, DARK WOOD, and Jack Ketchum’s cult hit THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.” It’s not a dull week for reviews at all.
This week, we kick off our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of THE SUMMER WIVES, the long-awaited follow-up to Beatriz Williams’ Schuyler Sisters trilogy, which releases this Tuesday, July 10th. Miranda Schuyler arrives on Winthrop Island, still reeling from the loss of her father in the Second World War. When her mother marries Hugh Fisher, Miranda is catapulted into a heady new world, and Miranda’s new stepsister, Isobel, is eager to draw her into the arcane customs of Winthrop society. But Miranda finds herself drawn to Joseph Vargas, who has enjoyed an intense, complex friendship with Isobel. As the summer winds down, Miranda is caught in a catastrophe that will shatter Winthrop’s hard-won tranquility and banish her from the island for nearly two decades. We will feature our review of the book and our interview with Beatriz in next week’s newsletter.
BIG GIVEAWAY: We have some exciting contest news to share with you. Penguin Random House is giving away all 100(!) books from PBS’s "Great American Read" series, which profiles America’s most beloved books. Click here to enter to win this epic grand prize (and be sure to vote for your favorite novel from the list!). The deadline for your entries is Friday, August 31st at 11pm ET.
Because of the 4th of July holiday, we had just one Summer Reading contest this week, but it was a BIG one. We gave you four days (instead of the usual 24 hours) to submit your entries to win all four books in Carrie Doyle’s Hamptons Murder Mystery series, the latest installment of which, the aforementioned DEATH ON BULL PATH, releases on July 23rd. Our 24-hour contests resume next week; the prize books will be THE LIDO by Libby Page (which will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection), THE ROMANOV EMPRESS: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna by C.W. Gortner, SURPRISE ME by Sophie Kinsella, and WHEN WE FOUND HOME by Susan Mallery. The first contest of the week will be up on Monday, July 9th at noon ET.
Which social media platforms do you use regularly, and which do you use to talk about or note the books that you’re reading? Those are our latest poll questions; let us know what your social media habits are by clicking here.
Our previous poll asked which of 20 paperbacks releasing in June you have read or are planning to read. Here are your top five picks: THE ROOSTER BAR by John Grisham (42%), MANHATTAN BEACH by Jennifer Egan (36%), LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES by Jamie Ford (28%), THE RULES OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (27%), and THE CUBAN AFFAIR by Nelson DeMille (26%). Click here for all the results.
Speaking of paperbacks, we are now featuring our New in Paperback roundups for this month. We have paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as the late Sue Grafton (Y IS FOR YESTERDAY), Linda Fairstein (DEADFALL), Elizabeth Berg (THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV), and Lisa Scottoline (EXPOSED); nonfiction titles, including AN ODYSSEY: A Father, a Son, and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn and AT THE STRANGERS’ GATE: Arrivals in New York by Adam Gopnik; and paperback originals like THE WIDOWER'S NOTEBOOK by Jonathan Santlofer, which I talked about in last week’s newsletter and we’ll be reviewing next week; DAY OF THE DEAD, the final book in Nicci French’s Frieda Klein series; and LITTLE GIRL LOST by Wendy Corsi Staub.
We also updated our Books on Screen feature for July. Feature films include Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot and Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood. On the small screen will be the series premieres of the aforementioned "Sharp Objects" on HBO and "Castle Rock" on Hulu, along with the season one finale of AMC's "Dietland" and the conclusion of Cinemax's miniseries "C.B. Strike." And among this month’s DVD releases are Ready Player One, The Leisure Seeker and Lean on Pete.
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, July 20th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win CLOCK DANCE by Anne Tyler and GIVE ME YOUR HAND by Megan Abbott.
This month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest kicked off this week. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to for your chance to win the audio versions of JP Delaney's BELIEVE ME, read by Sally Scott and others, and Debbie Macomber's COTTAGE BY THE SEA, read by Karissa Vacker. The deadline for your submissions is Wednesday, August 1st at noon ET.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
I heard from Joyce from Wellington, FL, the winner of our Talbots contest: “Can't tell you how excited I am. Just celebrated my 80th birthday last week; what a fun way to add to the celebration. Your Bookreporter newsletter keeps me up to date on all the newest books, and the commentary certainly entices me to read your recommendations. Loved PACHINKO and THE BOOKSHOP OF YESTERDAYS. The scavenger hunt was like the Mystery Room that we did with our granddaughter. WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS was a wonderful diversion from the news on TV. Loved BEARTOWN and the issues that it presented, but found US AGAINST YOU too intense, though it certainly presented some realistic conflicts. Looking forward to reading the books that are sent. As it happens, I am in charge of the Take a Book, Leave a Book Library in our community, so many others will be able to enjoy the books as well."
"Doctor Foster" on Netflix: Brilliant series; two seasons of it with five episodes each. I dare you to guess what is coming in each episode. The suggestion came from Suzanne from Goodreads, who is one of our readers. I want more suggestions from her!
Set It Up: Total rom-com formula, but a fun escape film; watched it on Netflix.
Trio Neapolitan Ice Cream: Vanilla-flavored ice cream with chocolate cookie swirl, dark chocolate ice cream, and mint ice cream with chocolate cookie pieces. Okay, this is amazing.
The stunning vase above was a present from my friend, Ann Binkley. From the moment I saw it, I envisioned sunflowers in it. How perfect is that?
I, like many of you, am watching the story of those young boys stranded in the cave in Thailand. Last night, this sad news about a diver dying as he tried to rescue them came through. I hope and pray they are rescued, and then I want to read the book and see the movie.
These past few weeks, as I worked in our office in the city, I could hear random cheers making their way up to my window. For the longest time, I was trying to figure out what it was. At first I thought some celebrity was in town, but the cheers went on for a while and were random. Then the light bulb went off: the World Cup is being broadcast in a few restaurants by us. I think I am close to knowing who is actually playing; I needed the number of teams whittled down.
Next week is ThrillerFest, and I am looking forward to seeing many of the authors whose books I enjoy. It ends up feeling like a big reunion --- some version of author summer camp. George R. R. Martin and Megan Abbott are among the spotlight guests, and Tom, Rebecca and I are planning to attend their interviews on Friday afternoon. My husband, Tom, is a big George R. R. Martin fan, and I asked if he would like to come and meet him. He said that unless Martin will be reading the next Game of Thrones book aloud, he is not interested. So blunt, but I think he is not alone with this concept.
Cory is loving his new job, which makes me happy. He has plans to go tubing with his girlfriend and some other friends this weekend. Greg may head to a picnic. Tom and I have dinner plans with friends. Beyond that, I want to hit the garden center for plants that probably are on sale, read, and try to figure out how to get the elastic waistband into the skirts that I finished knitting. If I am honest, and want to save time, I will turn the sewing project over to a professional; I am in over my head.
And yes, I want to make my way through the first three of the aforementioned stack of books that I have pulled together. I am so ready to get completely lost in a couple of books; I bet you know that feeling!
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: SPYMASTER by Brad Thor
SPYMASTER by Brad Thor (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Armand Schultz
Across Europe, a secret organization has begun attacking diplomats. Back in the United States, a foreign ally demands the identity of a highly placed covert asset. In the balance hang the ingredients for all-out war. With his mentor out of the game, counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath must take on the role he has spent his career avoiding. But, as with everything else he does, he intends to rewrite the rules --- all of them. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: A STEEP PRICE by Robert Dugoni
A STEEP PRICE by Robert Dugoni (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Sutton-Smith
The body of a young woman turns up in an abandoned well. Estranged from her family, the victim had balked at an arranged marriage and had planned to attend graduate school. But someone cut her dreams short. Solving the mystery behind the murder isn’t Tracy Crosswhite’s only challenge. The detective is keeping a secret of her own: she’s pregnant. And now her biggest fear seems to be coming true when a new detective arrives to replace her. Meanwhile, Tracy’s colleague, Vic Fazzio, is about to take a fall after his investigation into the murder of a local community activist turns violent and leaves an invaluable witness dead. Two careers are on the line. And when more deadly secrets emerge, jobs might not be the only things at risk. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
New Women's Fiction Author Spotlight:
THE SUMMER WIVES by Beatriz Williams
THE SUMMER WIVES by Beatriz Williams (Historical Fiction)
In the summer of 1951, Miranda Schuyler arrives on elite, secretive Winthrop Island as a schoolgirl from the margins of high society, still reeling from the loss of her father in the Second World War. When her beautiful mother marries Hugh Fisher, whose summer house on Winthrop overlooks the famous lighthouse, Miranda is catapulted into a heady new world of pedigrees and cocktails, status and swimming pools. Isobel Fisher, Miranda’s new stepsister --- all long legs and world-weary bravado, engaged to a wealthy Island scion --- is eager to draw Miranda into the arcane customs of Winthrop society.
But beneath the island’s patrician surface, there are really two clans: the summer families with their steadfast ways and quiet obsessions, and the working class of Portuguese fishermen and domestic workers who earn their living on the water and in the laundries of the summer houses. Uneasy among Isobel’s privileged friends, Miranda finds herself drawn to Joseph Vargas, whose father keeps the lighthouse with his mysterious wife. In summer, Joseph helps his father in the lobster boats, but in the autumn he returns to Brown University, where he’s determined to make something of himself. Since childhood, Joseph has enjoyed an intense, complex friendship with Isobel Fisher, and as the summer winds to its end, Miranda is caught in a catastrophe that will shatter Winthrop’s hard-won tranquility and banish Miranda from the island for nearly two decades.
Now, in the landmark summer of 1969, Miranda returns at last, as a renowned Shakespearean actress hiding a terrible heartbreak. On its surface, the Island remains the same --- determined to keep the outside world from its shores, fiercely loyal to those who belong. But the formerly powerful Fisher family is a shadow of itself, and Joseph Vargas has recently escaped the prison where he was incarcerated for the murder of Miranda’s stepfather 18 years earlier. What’s more, Miranda herself is no longer a naïve teenager, and she begins a fierce, inexorable quest for justice for the man she once loved...even if it means uncovering every last one of the secrets that bind together the families of Winthrop Island.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Beatriz Williams’ bio.
- Click here to visit Beatriz Williams’ website.
- Connect with Beatriz Williams on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight.
Don't miss our review of THE SUMMER WIVES
and our interview with Beatriz Williams in next week's newsletter!
Featured Review: THE SECRETS BETWEEN US
by Thrity Umrigar
THE SECRETS BETWEEN US by Thrity Umrigar (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sneha Mathan
Poor and illiterate, Bhima had faithfully worked for the Dubash family, an upper-middle-class Parsi household, for more than 20 years. Yet after courageously speaking the truth about a heinous crime perpetrated against her own family, the devoted servant was cruelly fired. Bhima’s fortunes take an unexpected turn when her path intersects with Parvati, a bitter, taciturn older woman. The two acquaintances soon form a tentative business partnership, selling fruits and vegetables at the local market. As they work together, these two women seemingly bound by fate grow closer, each confessing the truth about their lives and the wounds that haunt them. Reviewed by Sonia Chopra.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review:
THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD
by Paul Tremblay
THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Paul Tremblay (Psychological Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Amy Landon
Seven-year-old Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are vacationing at a remote cabin on a quiet New Hampshire lake. One afternoon, a stranger unexpectedly appears in the driveway. Leonard is the largest man Wen has ever seen, but he is young and friendly, and wins her over almost instantly. Leonard and Wen talk and play until Leonard abruptly apologizes and tells Wen, "None of what’s going to happen is your fault." Three more strangers then arrive at the cabin carrying unidentifiable, menacing objects. As Wen sprints inside to warn her parents, Leonard calls out: "Your dads won’t want to let us in, Wen. But they have to. We need your help to save the world." Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Special Contest from Penguin Random House:
Enter to Win 100 Great American Reads!
From classics like THE GRAPES OF WRATH to worldwide bestsellers like THE DA VINCI CODE, Penguin Random House is giving away all 100 books from PBS’s “Great American Read” series, which profiles America’s most beloved books.
Enter to win this epic literary library (and don’t forget to vote for your favorite novel from the list!).
Click here to read all the contest details and submit your entries
by Friday, August 31st at 11pm ET.
July's New in Paperback Roundups
July's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes Y IS FOR YESTERDAY, which finds private investigator Kinsey Millhone confronting her darkest and most disturbing case, and marks the end of the Alphabet mysteries following the passing of Sue Grafton in December 2017; Ayobami Adebayo's debut, STAY WITH ME, the unforgettable story of a marriage as seen through the eyes of both husband and wife, which asks how much we can sacrifice for the sake of family; and THE ADDRESS, Fiona Davis' compelling novel about the thin lines between love and loss, success and ruin, passion and madness, all hidden behind the walls of the Dakota, New York City's most famous residence.
Among our nonfiction highlights are DEMOCRACY, Condoleezza Rice's sweeping look at the global struggle for democracy and why America must continue to support the cause of human freedom; AN ODYSSEY by award-winning memoirist and critic Daniel Mendelsohn, a deeply moving tale of a father and son's transformative journey in reading --- and reliving --- Homer's epic masterpiece; AT THE STRANGER’S GATE, Adam Gopnik’s memoir that captures the romance of New York City in the 1980s; and Nate Blakeslee’s AMERICAN WOLF, the enthralling story of the rise and reign of O-Six, the celebrated Yellowstone wolf, and the people who loved or feared her.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
July 2nd, July 9th, July 16th, July 23rd and July 30th.
July's Books on Screen Feature
Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading
Contests and Feature
Summer is here! 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(s) 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, July 9th at noon ET.
This year’s prize books include:
- Click here to see the winners of our Summer Reading Contests.
Click here to read all the contest details
and see the prize books being awarded in May, June, July and August.
SCORPION STRIKE: A Jonathan Grave Thriller by John Gilstrap (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Corey M. Snow
An island paradise held hostage. A band of dangerous killers unleashed. A sinister plot that could push the superpowers to the brink of war. For Jonathan Grave and Gail Bonneville, the Crystal Sands Resort has become the ultimate flashpoint. Their mission: defeat the attackers before more lives are lost. Their only hope is Grave’s partner Boxers, but he’s hundreds of miles away. Grave may be without weapons, but he’s never without resources. That’s when he’s most lethal --- when he will strike fast, hard and without warning. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
CONFESSIONS OF THE FOX by Jordy Rosenberg (Speculative Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Aden Hakimi
Jack Sheppard and Edgeworth Bess were the most notorious thieves, jailbreakers and lovers of 18th-century London. Yet no one knows the true story; their confessions have never been found. Until now. Reeling from heartbreak, a scholar named Dr. Voth discovers a long-lost manuscript --- a gender-defying exposé of Jack and Bess’ adventures. Is Confessions of the Fox an authentic autobiography or a hoax? Dr. Voth obsessively annotates the manuscript, desperate to find the answer. As he is drawn deeper into Jack and Bess’ tale of underworld resistance and gender transformation, it becomes clear that their fates are intertwined --- and only a miracle will save them all. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE VAMPIRE UPRISING by Raymond A. Villareal (Supernatural Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Christine Lakin, Robert Petkoff, Rene-Marie Villano, Jim Meskimen, Ron Butler, Taylor Meskimen, Maxwell Hamilton, Andrew Kishino, Karissa Vacker and Jeff Bottoms
The body of a young woman found in an Arizona border town, presumed to be an illegal immigrant, disappears from the town morgue. Then more bodies, dead from an inexplicable disease that solidified their blood, are brought to the morgue, only to also vanish. Soon, the U.S. government must come to terms with what they're too late to stop: an epidemic of vampirism. These changed people, or "Gloamings," rapidly rise to prominence in all aspects of modern society. Soon people are beginning to be "re-created," willingly accepting the risk of death if their bodies can't handle the transformation. But when a charismatic and wealthy businessman who recently has been turned, runs for political office, all hell breaks loose. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE MYTH OF PERPETUAL SUMMER by Susan Crandall (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Amy Rubinate
Tallulah James’ parents’ volatile relationship, erratic behavior and hands-off approach to child rearing set tongues to wagging in their staid Mississippi town, complicating her already uncertain life. She takes the responsibility of shielding her family’s reputation and raising her younger twin siblings onto her youthful shoulders. When betrayal and death arrive hand in hand, she takes to the road, headed to what turns out to be the not-so-promised land of Southern California. The dysfunction of her childhood still echoes throughout her scattered family, sending her brother on a disastrous path and drawing her home again. There she uncovers the secrets and lies that set her family on the road to destruction. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE NIGHT FERRY: A Konrad Simonsen Thriller by Lotte Hammer and Soren Hammer (Mystery/Thriller)
Sixteen children and four adults are killed in a devastating boat crash in Copenhagen. Detective Chief Superintendent Konrad Simonsen is called in, only to discover that this was no accident and that one of the passengers has a very personal connection to the homicide team. Reeling from this revelation and not knowing who to trust, Simonsen follows a trail that eventually leads him to Bosnia and a network of criminal misconduct. All evidence points towards one shady figure: a high-ranking army specialist with a suspicious past. But the more Simonsen digs, the further the truth slips from his grasp. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE REMOVES by Tatjana Soli (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Xe Sands
Spanning the years of the first great settlement of the West, THE REMOVES tells the intertwining stories of 15-year-old Anne Cummins, frontierswoman Libbie Custer, and Libbie’s husband, the Civil War hero George Armstrong Custer. When Anne survives a surprise attack on her family’s homestead, she is thrust into a difficult life she never anticipated --- living among the Cheyenne as both a captive and, eventually, a member of the tribe. Libbie, too, is thrown into a brutal, unexpected life when she marries Custer. But when what Anne and Libbie have come to know is suddenly altered through tragedy and loss, they realize how indelibly shaped they are by life on the treacherous, extraordinary American plains. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
SUPERHERO ETHICS: 10 Comic Book Heroes; 10 Ways to Save the World; Which One Do We Need Most Now? by Travis Smith (Popular Culture/Sociology)
Millions of people around the world are heavily invested in the motivations, decisions and destinies of their favorite superheroes. In SUPERHERO ETHICS, Travis Smith investigates what they are saying and what messages about life they are communicating. Throughout the book, Smith frames his analysis around a single question: Which superhero embodies the kind of ethical character we should strive to emulate in today’s society? He arrives at his choice by structuring the book as a contest. He takes 10 top superheroes and pits them one against another, chapter by chapter. The hero who better exemplifies how we ought to live advances to the final round. By the end of the book, a single superhero emerges victorious and is crowned most exemplary for our times. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on July 10th
Below are some notable titles releasing on July 10th 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 July 9th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
CLOCK DANCE by Anne Tyler (Fiction)
One day, Willa receives a startling phone call from a stranger. Without fully understanding why, she flies across the country to Baltimore to look after a young woman she's never met, her nine-year-old daughter, and their dog, Airplane. This impulsive decision will lead Willa into uncharted territory.
FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL: A Memoir by Beck Dorey-Stein (Memoir)
FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL OFFICE is a behind-the-scenes memoir that takes readers inside the Obama White House, through the eyes of a young staffer learning the ropes, falling in love, and finding her place in the world.
A GATHERING OF SECRETS by Linda Castillo (Mystery/Thriller)
When a historic barn burns to the ground in the middle of the night, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. At first, it looks like an accident, but when the body of 18-year-old Daniel Gingerich is found inside --- burned alive --- Kate suspects murder. Who would want a well-liked, hardworking young Amish man dead?
THE GOOD FIGHT by Danielle Steel (Historical Fiction)
Against the electrifying backdrop of the 1960s, Danielle Steel unveils the gripping chronicle of a young woman discovering a passion for justice and of the unsung heroes she encounters on her quest to fight the good fight.
HALF MOON BAY by Alice LaPlante (Psychological Thriller)
Jane loses everything when her teenage daughter is killed in a senseless accident. Sometime later, she makes one tiny stab at a new life: she moves from San Francisco to the seaside town of Half Moon Bay. But when children begin to disappear, her neighbors start wondering if she herself has unleashed the horror of loss.
I SEE LIFE THROUGH ROSÉ-COLORED GLASSES: True Stories and Confessions by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella (Humor/Essays)
The bestselling mother-daughter duo are back with more hilarious, witty and true tales from their lives. Whether they are attempting to hike the Grand Canyon, setting up phone calls with their dogs, or learning what “adulting” means, Lisa and Francesca are guaranteed to make you laugh, cry and appreciate the funniest moments in life.
MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION by Ottessa Moshfegh (Fiction)
Ottessa Moshfegh’s latest novel is about a young woman's efforts to duck the ills of the world by embarking on an extended hibernation with the help of one of the worst psychiatrists in the annals of literature and the battery of medicines she prescribes.
THE ROMANOV EMPRESS: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna by C.W. Gortner (Historical Fiction)
Narrated by the mother of Russia’s last tsar, C.W. Gortner’s new novel brings to life the courageous story of Maria Feodorovna, one of Imperial Russia’s most compelling women, who witnessed the splendor and tragic downfall of the Romanovs as she fought to save her dynasty in its final years.
THE SUMMER WIVES by Beatriz Williams (Historical Fiction)
New York Times bestselling author Beatriz Williams brings us the blockbuster novel of the season --- an electrifying postwar fable of love, class, power and redemption set among the inhabitants of an island off the New England coast.
WHEN WE FOUND HOME by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
Callie Smith doesn’t know how to feel when she discovers she has a brother and a sister --- Malcolm, who grew up with affection, wealth and privilege, and Keira, a streetwise 12-year-old. Becoming a family will take patience, humor, a little bit of wine and a whole lot of love. But love isn’t Malcolm’s strong suit --- that is, until he meets a beautiful barista.
THE WIDOWER'S NOTEBOOK: A Memoir by Jonathan Santlofer (Memoir)
Written with unexpected humor and great warmth, THE WIDOWER’S NOTEBOOK is a portrait of a marriage, an account of the complexities of finding oneself single again after losing your spouse, and a story of the enduring power of familial love.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Your Social Media Habits
Which of the following social media platforms do you use on a regular basis? Please check all that apply.
-
Facebook
-
Goodreads
-
Instagram
-
Pinterest
-
Twitter
-
None of these
On which of the following social media platforms do you talk about or note the books that you are reading? Please check all that apply.
-
Facebook
-
Goodreads
-
Instagram
-
Pinterest
-
Twitter
-
None of these
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, July 20th 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 July 6th to July 20th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of CLOCK DANCE by Anne Tyler and GIVE ME YOUR HAND by Megan Abbott.
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 July 2nd to August 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of JP Delaney's BELIEVE ME, read by Sally Scott and others, and Debbie Macomber's COTTAGE BY THE SEA, read by Karissa Vacker.
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.
|
