September 14, 2018

Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com

Books, a Movie, Some Cookies and Lots of Cars

While being back at work meant my “book-a-day habit” was not able to be maintained this past week, I did read --- and thoroughly enjoy --- DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid, which is coming out on March 5th. It’s novel about an iconic 1970s band and their oh-so-very hot lead singer, finally telling the tale of why the band broke up. It’s fiction, but people have been speculating on what band this could be based on; a few rumblings I have heard from librarian pals is that Daisy could be based on Stevie Nicks. While many books these days are told chapter by chapter by different narrators, here we have the story told paragraph by paragraph from the points of view of the six band members and Daisy. It’s a wickedly smart way to tell a story, and Taylor completely pulls it off.

It’s full of period moments that are special, like the Rolling Stone writer following the band to tell their story, reminding me of the days when a cover story on Rolling Stone was coveted. (For the record, I have 20 years of Rolling Stone magazines neatly boxed in my attic; not sure why I am holding onto them.) It has the whole rock ’n’ roll life wrapped on the pages --- the music, as well as groupies, sex and drugs. Taylor includes song lyrics at the end that were created for the book; she could have a second calling as a songwriter. It will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick, both for the storyline and the original way her storytelling was conceptualized. I hear there is also a playlist; I will need to check that out.

On Monday night, I went to a screening of The Children Act, which is based on the book by Ian McEwan. It's a measured film and a strong adaptation of the book; McEwan wrote the screenplay. The movie stars Emma Thompson as Fiona Maye, an eminent High Court judge in London whose cases look at family law. She rules on a case about Adam, a boy who is months from his 18th birthday and whose parents refuse the blood transfusion that will save his life. What happens when they meet sets the story on a new path. It felt to me that, in Adam, Fiona is seeing much of her life, which slipped away due to her focus on following the law. It's a very smart film; I confess to not loving the ending shot, but that is the critical film editor in me. It’s a very elegant movie. One of the tough things about adapting Ian’s books is that they are so smart and cerebral. There is a lot of inner dialogue that makes the pacing slower than a typical film. It’s tough to translate emotions. It's in theaters and on demand now. My friend Beverley’s aunt and uncle saw it in the UK and raved about it! Take a look at the trailer here.

Although I was disappointed to have missed out on this year’s Bouchercon, which took place last week in St. Petersburg, Florida, I was so pleased that 12 writers and publishing professionals in the mystery/thriller literary world attended and were eager to report back to us on their experiences at the convention. Many thanks to Linwood Barclay, Laura Benedict, Lou Berney, Alison Gaylin, William Kent Krueger, Clair Lamb, Carla Neggers, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Alex Segura, Wendy Corsi Staub, Sarah Weinman and Kate White for their enthusiastic participation! Read this coverage, and you will feel like you were there eavesdropping; their stories are brilliant. Why would they not be? They all are authors!

On Saturday, the winners of this year’s Anthony Awards were announced at a special ceremony held during Bouchercon. They included BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD by Atticka Locke (Best Novel), Y IS FOR YESTERDAY by the late Sue Grafton (Best Novel in a Series), and KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (Best Critical/Nonfiction Work). Click here for all the winners and nominees.

I am listening to THE MARS ROOM by Rachel Kushner, which is also narrated by her, and am reaching the end. I figure I'll need two more round trips to yoga to finish it. It’s set in 2003 in a women’s prison in central California, where Romy Hall is serving consecutive life sentences. Her young son, Jackson, is on the outside, and she has lost touch with him. Reading the book, you feel like you are inside the prison walls, and incarceration is stifling on so many levels. Infractions lead to penalties; the opportunities are slim. Throughout, you wonder exactly what Romy did, and that story is unfolding right to the end. We get background on the other prisoners as well. You can say it’s like ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, but it feels smarter and bleaker, maybe because so much internal storytelling is going on. For all its darkness and tough storytelling, I found myself looking forward to listening each day. It’s been out since May, but it will be a Bets On selection in audio. I will share that next week.

Many of us have heard (and answered) the popular question, “If you could have dinner with any five people, living or dead, who would they be?” Why do we choose the people we do? And what if that dinner was to actually happen? These are the questions that Rebecca Serle addresses in THE DINNER LIST, her debut novel for adults (she is well known in the YA world). When Sabrina arrives at her 30th birthday dinner, she finds at the table her best friend, along with three significant people from her past…and Audrey Hepburn. As the appetizers are served, wine poured and dinner table conversation begins, it becomes clear that there’s a reason these six people have been gathered together.

Our very own Rebecca Munro has our review and says, "This story is full of pain, but it is the most delicious kind --- the kind that will make you feel as though you, too, have lost something, and will make you all the more grateful for the good things around you. Serle is new to millennial writing, but I hope that she continues to explore this time in every young person’s life in many more books, for her talent is limitless and her voice is profound." Rebecca was fortunate enough to attend the book launch party on Tuesday night. Click here to read her blog post about how the event went down at her favorite bookstore in New York City, McNally Jackson. THE DINNER LIST will be a Bets On pick; find out why in next week’s newsletter.

Vladimir Nabokov’s LOLITA is one of the most beloved and notorious novels of all time, yet very few readers know that the subject of the book was inspired by a real-life case: the 1948 abduction of 11-year-old Sally Horner. The aforementioned Sarah Weinman’s true-crime debut, THE REAL LOLITA (which you may remember was one of this year’s buzz books at BookExpo), tells Sally Horner’s full story for the very first time. Drawing upon extensive investigations, legal documents, public records and interviews with surviving relatives, Sarah uncovers how much Nabokov knew of the Sally Horner case and the efforts he took to disguise that knowledge during the process of writing and publishing LOLITA.

Reviewer Sarah Rachel Egelman calls THE REAL LOLITA “a well-researched tale” that is “compelling and powerful. It draws on the best aspects of true crime and literary criticism to create something riveting and revelatory. Weinman’s narrative is compassionate and informative, and I strongly recommend it.” I agree, and this, too, will be a Bets On selection next week.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include THE FORBIDDEN DOOR, the fourth installment in Dean Koontz’s series starring rogue FBI agent Jane Hawk; KATERINA, James Frey’s highly anticipated new novel, a sweeping love story alternating between 1992 Paris and Los Angeles in 2018; ROBERT B. PARKER’S COLORBLIND by Reed Farrel Coleman, which marks the return of police chief Jesse Stone, whose newest case hits right at the heart of the Paradise police force; and Wayétu Moore’s debut novel, SHE WOULD BE KING (another BookExpo Buzz book), which reimagines the dramatic story of Liberia’s early years through three characters who share an uncommon bond.

THE FORBIDDEN DOOR is one of the prizes in our current Word of Mouth contest; the other is BUTTON MAN by Andrew Gross, which we plan to review next week. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, September 21st at noon ET for your chance to win both these highly anticipated thrillers.

This year’s Fall Preview contests kicked off this week with our first three giveaways: THE DUTCH WIFE by Ellen Keith (our latest New Release Spotlight title), LAKE SUCCESS by Gary Shteyngart (a current Bets On selection), and TRUST ME by the aforementioned Hank Phillippi Ryan (a Bets On pick from last week). Next week’s prize books will be THE BOY AT THE KEYHOLE by Stephen Giles (which we reviewed last week) and A SPARK OF LIGHT by Jodi Picoult (which releases on October 2nd). The first contest of the week will be up on Monday, September 17th at noon ET.

LAKE SUCCESS, which we reviewed last week, and THE GLASS OCEAN by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White (known as Team W), which we are planning to review in two weeks, are my latest Bets On picks. Click on each of the titles to find out why I’m betting you’ll love these books.

We’re awarding the audio versions of LAKE SUCCESS, read by Arthur Morey and Soneela Nankani, and Christina Dalcher's VOX, read by Julia Whelan, in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. Let us know by Monday, October 1st at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll be in the running to win both these audio titles.

Our poll continues to ask which of 20 fiction titles releasing this month you are planning to read, if any. Be sure to let us know by Friday, September 21st at noon ET.

The longlists for this year’s National Book Awards were announced this week. Click here to see all 50 titles in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature (a new category), and Young People’s Literature. The finalists will be revealed on October 10th, followed by the announcement of the winners on November 14th.

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, Delia Owens’ debut novel, is the latest Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club pick. Here’s what Reese had to say about this national bestseller: “I can’t even express how much I love this book!... It’s about a young woman named Kya, who’s left to raise herself in the marshes of North Carolina when her family abandons her at a young age. There is so much to her story: romance, mystery, and a murder…and it takes place in the breathtaking backdrop of the South. I didn’t want this story to end!” Check out our rave review of the book here.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

I heard from Virginia, our reader who we want to celebrate with book donations, who said, “I’m awed by the kindness and grace of people. While I admit to being a little embarrassed, even uncomfortable, with a focus on me, I am at the same time humbled and touched with an incredible feeling of connection and gratitude. Thank you for making this happen. Truly out of the ashes, good things are coming. Thank you.” Scroll further down the newsletter for more info about this.

Nikki wrote, “This has been such a lovely experience, being given the chance to help a fellow book lover going through such a difficult time.”

Writing about this week’s contest for LAKE SUCCESS, Cheryl wrote, “I am absolutely thrilled with this news! Yahoo! I can’t wait to get my hands on the book, and I’ll let you know my thoughts once I read it. Thank you so much for your wonderful website and newsletters, and most of all, this fabulous surprise.”

"This Is Us": There will be a special about the show airing on September 18th; the new season begins on September 25th.

"The Sinner" on USA Network: Caught up on Season Two; two more episodes to go. So well done. Dark and gripping.

Brooklyn Book Festival: The week-long Brooklyn Book Festival ends Monday. Click here for all the info if you're interested in going.

Among the books I am eagerly awaiting this fall are two cookbooks. The first is OTTOLENGHI SIMPLE by Yotam Ottolenghi (on sale: October 16th); the second is COOK LIKE A PRO: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks by Ina Garten, which is out on October 23rd. I am following them both on Instagram and crave these books. While I am waiting, I made these Triple Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies from Nigella Lawson’s SIMPLY NIGELLA and these Super-Loaded Oatmeal Cookies, which have oatmeal, coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and lots of dried fruit. I left out the nuts, as Greg is allergic, and added in an extra cup of various dried fruits. They both have been disappearing all week.

Greg came back from Georgia last weekend driving a big Penske truck with a trailer on the back, on which he had towed the Land Rover Classic that he bought. He had never driven a truck or towed a trailer until this trip. (Yes, I was stressed all weekend!) The flight down, truck rental and hotel stay overnight on the way back came to more than the price of the car, which he plans to rebuild. He gets this craving to rebuild cars from his father, who currently has three projects progressing way too slowly for me. I go to the dealer to buy cars, I do not buy ones that do not run and then fix them up. I like to go vroom vroom right away.

He also came home with strep throat; I am betting some passenger brought this aboard the Delta flight along with their carry-on luggage. Our driveway right now needs better organization, or a valet. Oh, but wait, the cars need to run to have a valet. I count three in the driveway and two in the garage that are not running. 3+2=5. That is old math. There are four that do run, including mine, and none is newer than 10 years old. You can do the rest of the math. They have lots of books on how to restore cars; I think they need to speed read and speed repair, and then not speed when driving.

Alas, there is an author tie-in here. Here’s a piece about Lee Child driving a Land Rover Series 1 on an expedition. Enjoy.

Oh, and speaking of Lee Child, while we were on hiatus, news came out that he is adapting all of his books for television. He also is donating all of his papers to the British Archive for Contemporary Writing at the University of East Anglia (UEA).

Homemade pizza for five is on the agenda for tonight --- a nice way to end the week.

I have found a lovely lace pattern to add to the bottom of a skirt that I am knitting. This looks really complicated. Even my friend Annie, who is my pattern go-to person, said “whoa” when she looked at the instructions. "Whoa" does not sound like, “Carol, you can do this!” I see much reverse knitting in my future. I keep reading the pattern and looking at the pictures, and cannot figure this out for the life of me. I also see a trip to the yarn store in my future.

On Saturday night, we are going to a neighbor’s home as they gather to celebrate the passing of her father (I learned you do not sit shiva during the Jewish holidays). On Sunday, I am headed to a memorial service for a friend. I have been beyond sad all week for her husband and young son. Both of these sad moments remind me to take time to enjoy life! In other news, the sun may come out this weekend in the New York area; it's been a while since we have seen it. The weather has been damp.

If you are in the path of Hurricane Florence, you definitely are on our minds. Stay safe. If you are observing Yom Kippur, here’s wishing you a good fast.

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!

Join Us in Helping to Rebuild a
Longtime Bookreporter Reader's Bookshelves!

In last week’s newsletter, we asked readers to help us with a project to help rebuild the book collection of Virginia Weber, a longtime reader of the site who lost her house last year in the Thomas Fire in California. Many of you wanted to share books with her at that time, but Virginia was waiting on a long-term rental solution so she would have room for books. She finally has that. There are THREE ways you can help.

First, here is the link to her Amazon Wish List. Virginia noted, “I left out so many classics, though. Truly any books would be gratefully accepted. My husband loves history and Shakespeare and all the classics from English literature classes. My heart belongs to women storytellers --- mysteries and novels by Elizabeth George, Jodi Picoult, and so on.” So do not feel that you need to stick to the list.

Also, Virginia’s local indie bookstore has graciously agreed to join us in this bookshelves-rebuilding effort. Connie Halpern at Mrs. Figs' Bookworm said people can visit her website at www.mrsfigs.com, but they wouldn't be able to order books there to be delivered to Virginia. Instead, they can call her at (805) 482-1384 with their order or send an email to mrsfigs@mrsfigs.com, and she can get books there that Virginia can pick up.

Finally, for those of you who wrote saying that you would like to send books from your personal collections, feel free to mail them directly to Virginia. Her address is 2001 Mandrill Ave., Ventura, CA 93003. Note: These can be sent via media mail, to get a low rate, as long as there are just books in the box. We will be sending her books from our office as well.

Thank you in advance. We really look forward to making this something fun for all of us. Let’s get Virginia’s bookshelves filled again!

Featured Review: THE FORBIDDEN DOOR by Dean Koontz

THE FORBIDDEN DOOR: A Jane Hawk Novel by Dean Koontz (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Elisabeth Rodgers
Jane Hawk may be all that stands between a free nation and its enslavement by a powerful secret society’s terrifying mind-control technology. Equipped with superior tactical and survival skills, Jane has struck major blows against the insidious cabal. But if their best operatives can’t outrun her, they mean to bring her running to them, using her five-year-old son as bait. As she moves resolutely forward, new threats begin to emerge: a growing number of brain-altered victims driven hopelessly, violently insane. With the madness spreading like a virus, the war between Jane and her enemies will become a fight for all their lives --- against the lethal terror unleashed from behind the forbidden door. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

- Click here to read more about the book.