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Leonard Marcus (right) wrote the introduction to and the text of 100 YEARS OF CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK POSTERS, which has been published to help commemorate
the 100th anniversary of Children's Book Week.
Carol with a few attendees at her event at the Fairfield Public Library
Attendees at Carol's Fairfield event eagerly await her presentation.
Carol's preview video for this week's Bookreporter update (left)
and her video about this year's Mother's Day Author Blog series (right)
On the left is a cool electric billboard for the new season of "Big Little Lies,"
and on the right you can see the latest growth of Carol's rhubarb plants.
Jackhammering and Wood Chipping
Our Way Through the Week
This week has been about noise --- a lot of noise. They are rebuilding the subway station outside our office in the city, and there has been a chorus of jackhammers going on and on there for hours. The noise was so relentless that when it got quiet, we actually could still feel the vibrations. Greg and I worked from home yesterday and today. Yesterday at 8am, a tree company showed up at the house next door to clear some dead trees, and for hours there were chainsaws and a wood chipper going. One cannot make this up. As you may know, we have been shooting videos in the office, and our shooting has to come after 3pm to be sure there is no construction noise. Luckily I am really good at focusing, but I would love some sounds of silence.
On Monday night, I headed to the children’s bookstore Books of Wonder to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Children’s Book Week. Each year, a poster is made to commemorate Children’s Book Week, and for this anniversary, Leonard Marcus wrote a brilliant introduction to a book of all these posters talking about the beginning of Children’s Book Week and the history of children’s book publishing in America. There are so many interesting facts in his opener, including that America was the first country to have children’s librarians, and how literature for children was something that was eagerly embraced after World War I. You can see the book above, along with a photo of Marcus.
That evening, nine of the illustrators who were on hand spoke about their contributions to various posters through the years. In addition to the book, you can browse and buy individual posters here. It was a lovely evening of celebrating the books that got many of us interested in reading. And here’s a terrific piece that looks at the world of children’s books as “in honor of the centennial, the Library of Congress has made available a free online collection of a hundred children’s books from a century ago or more.”
On Tuesday night, I went up to Fairfield, Connecticut to speak to a group of very enthusiastic readers at the Fairfield Public Library. I love events like this where I can share the books that I am excited about. When I do these kinds of programs, I always am looking for feedback on the books that are of most interest to the audience, asking them the three books that they most recently read, as well as the three from my presentation that they most want to read. By the way, I know the latter is a challenge as they are just hearing small nuggets about each title during my presentation. I always am eager to read their feedback and see what has resonated with them, as well as taking a look at what they have been reading. Some patterns emerge, but there always are surprises!
We shot two videos this week: one about our weekly update and another to celebrate one of my favorite features, as we’re excited to bring back our Mother’s Day Author Blog series for a 10th year! This year’s contributors are Melanie Benjamin, Sarah Blake, Armando Lucas Correa, Chris Pavone, Kaira Rouda, Wendy Wax and Kate White --- all of whom have new books coming out this month. Each of their pieces revolves around memories they have of reading books with their moms, or with their own children, and how their moms influenced them to become readers and writers. We kicked off the series yesterday with Kate White, followed by Chris Pavone today. You can look forward to hearing from the other five authors next week, as we will feature one blog post a day leading up to Mother’s Day weekend. I have read them all and think you are going to enjoy them, so bookmark to check this page each day.
And speaking of Mother’s Day, this is your last newsletter reminder to enter our Mother’s Day contest. Five readers will win all 11 of our prize books for themselves or the moms in their lives. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, May 8th at noon ET. We’ll announce the winners in next week’s newsletter.
THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Kaira Rouda is the latest title we’re featuring in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight. Jane Harris’ oldest daughter, Mary, died in a tragic accident exactly one year ago. Since then, Jane has been hooked on anti-depressants and rarely leaves the house. But that’s all about to change. Jane’s husband, David, has planned a memorial service for Mary, and their youngest daughter, Betsy, graduates high school three days later. As Jane reemerges into the world, though, it’s clear that her family has changed without her. Her husband has been working long days and nights at the office. Her daughter seems distant, even secretive. And her beloved Mary was always such a good girl. But does someone know more about Mary, and about her last day, than they’ve revealed?
We’re giving 30 readers the chance to win a copy of THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER, which releases on May 21st, and give us their feedback on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, May 16th at noon ET. As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, I loved Kaira’s last book, BEST DAY EVER (which was a Bookreporter.com Bets On title); once again she has written a complete page-turner and nails the voice of her protagonist, who is a narcissist. It, too, will be a Bets On pick. I joke with Kaira that I am not sure what it says about me that I love her characters!
Our latest Paperback Spotlight title is THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY, Ruth Ware’s fourth psychological thriller and an instant New York Times bestseller, which is now available in paperback. On what appears to be a typical day, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She knows that the letter was sent to the wrong person, but realizes that the cold-reading skills she has mastered as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money. Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased, where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the center of it. You can check out our rave review from Norah Piehl here.
We have 14 reviews to share with you this week. Among them are THE 18th ABDUCTION, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro’s latest Women’s Murder Club thriller, which finds Detective Lindsay Boxer's investigation into the disappearance of three teachers quickly escalating from missing persons to murder; FALL AND RISE by Mitchell Zuckoff, a mesmerizing, minute-by-minute account of 9/11 filled with intimate stories of people most affected by the events of that tragic day; and SPRING, the third installment in Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet, a series of stand-alone novels that are separate yet interconnected (just like the seasons).
My latest Bets On picks are the audio version of Anna Quindlen’s NANAVILLE: Adventures in Grandparenting, read by Cynthia Farrell, and THE MOTHER-IN-LAW by Sally Hepworth, both of which we reviewed last week. Click on each of the titles for my Bets On commentary.
We’ve posted our Books on Screen roundup for May. Feature films include Aladdin, UglyDolls, A Dog's Journey and The Professor and the Madman; on the small screen will be the series finale of HBO's "Game of Thrones," along with the premieres of "The Spanish Princess" on Starz, SundanceTV's "The Name of the Rose" and "Good Omens" on Amazon Prime; and among this month’s DVD releases are How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Ashes in the Snow and The Upside.
May’s Sounding Off on Audio contest is now up and running. Let us know by Monday, June 3rd at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll have the opportunity to win the audio versions of Karen Cleveland's KEEP YOU CLOSE, read by Erin Bennett, and John Sandford's NEON PREY: A Lucas Davenport Novel, read by Richard Ferrone.
Our Word of Mouth prize books continue to be THE PARIS DIVERSION by the aforementioned Chris Pavone and SUNSET BEACH by Mary Kay Andrews. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, May 10th at noon ET for your chance to win these two highly anticipated novels. We’ll have reviews of both later this month!
Our poll continues to ask: In what year was the book that you’re currently reading published? Click here to let us know. By the way, I know that many of you may be juggling a print book, an e-book and an audiobook. I had meant to include in the poll question for you to answer according to the one that you are furthest along reading. If you cannot figure that out, just pick one!
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Loretta caught that I identified the flowers in my "Game of Thrones"-looking vase incorrectly last week. Yes, they were tulips, not daffodils! Blame the error on too many jelly beans that jaded my thinking!
One of our Spring Preview contest winners, Trudy, wrote, “I was notified a few weeks ago that I was the lucky winner of LAWN BOY. I just finished this amazing book. I loved it. Thanks so much. Really remarkable. I could not put it down.”
Here are some of May’s recently announced book club picks:
A reminder that this Tuesday at 7pm local time, Barnes & Noble will be hosting a free Book Club Night in stores across the country for their April selection, LOST ROSES by Martha Hall Kelly, a recent Bets On pick. If you’d like to attend, click here to sign up! That same night, this month’s book club title will be announced as well.
"Game of Thrones": My comment after last week’s big episode is that there are less people to feed at the commissary after filming it. And it was shot really dark. I know that was for effect, but I think for the budget and time spent, even 15% brighter would have been better. Lots of detail was tough to see. But then again, if we were there, it would have been tough to see too, and maybe that was what they were going for! My friend, Wendy, found this very interesting piece on the cinematography.
George R. R. Martin: He talks unicorns for future books here.
"Big Little Lies" billboard: I spied the very clever electric billboard above for season two of "Big Little Lies" coming on June 9th. Liane Moriarty wrote a novella-like template for the new season.
“At the Heart of Gold”: I want to watch this tonight on HBO. It’s about the sex scandal that blew up the world of Olympic gymnasts. I have heard great early buzz about it.
Rhubarb: Two or three years ago, I bought two rhubarb plants anticipating a summer of rhubarb pies. At the garden center, they were quick to tell me that it would be years until I had enough rhubarb for even one pie. Above you can see the latest growth; I think I am two years away from pies now. But do remember that I am an optimist!
Last weekend, we had a great time at the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. The selection of action films was terrific. While there were some that were standouts, they each had strong messaging, storytelling and cinematography. I have been told that one year I need to go to Banff for the festival; I would love that.
My mom is celebrating a major milestone birthday on Sunday (though she looks 10 years younger), and we are going to be hosting a dinner at our house for her. So looking forward to this! Aside from birthday prep, there are no plans at this hacienda for the weekend. I am book jumping right now, which is what I call it when I am reading bits of books to stay on top of what is out. This is a really busy time of year at the office, and I long for chunks of time when my head is not racing thinking about what needs to be done, so I can get back to relaxing and reading.
I am hoping that the weather holds up for me to get some gardening done. The wrath of winter is all over the gardens, and it is not pretty!
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 18th ABDUCTION
by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
THE 18th ABDUCTION by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by January LaVoy
For a trio of colleagues, an innocent night out after class ends in a deadly torture session. They vanish without a clue --- until a body turns up. As the chief of police and the press clamor for an arrest in the "school night" case, Detective Lindsay Boxer turns to her best friend, investigative journalist Cindy Thomas. Lindsay and Cindy take a new approach to the case, and unexpected facts about the victims leave them stunned. While Lindsay is engrossed in her investigation, her husband, Joe Molinari, meets an Eastern European woman who claims to have seen a notorious war criminal --- long presumed dead --- from her home country. Before Lindsay can verify the woman's statement, Joe's mystery informant joins the ranks of the missing women. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
New Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest:
THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Kaira Rouda
We have 30 copies of THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Kaira Rouda --- a gripping novel of psychological suspense set in an upscale Southern California community --- to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on May 21st, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, May 16th at noon ET.
THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Kaira Rouda (Psychological Thriller)
Jane Harris lives in a sparkling home in an oceanfront gated community in Orange County. It’s a place that seems too beautiful to be touched by sadness. But exactly one year ago, Jane’s oldest daughter, Mary, died in a tragic accident, and Jane has been grief-stricken ever since. Lost in a haze of anti-depressants, she’s barely even left the house. Now that’s all about to change.
It’s time for Jane to reclaim her life and her family. Jane’s husband, David, has planned a memorial service for Mary; three days later, their youngest daughter, Betsy, graduates high school. Yet as Jane reemerges into the world, it’s clear her family has changed without her. Her husband has been working long days --- and nights --- at the office. Her daughter seems distant, even secretive. And her beloved Mary was always such a good girl --- dutiful and loving. But does someone know more about Mary, and about her last day, than they’ve revealed?
The bonds between mothers and daughters, and husbands and wives, should never be broken. But you never know how far someone will go to keep a family together.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Kaira Rouda's bio.
- Click here to visit Kaira Rouda's website.
- Connect with Kaira Rouda on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight
and enter the contest.
New Paperback Spotlight:
THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY by Ruth Ware
THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY by Ruth Ware (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Imogen Church
On a day that begins like any other, Hal receives a mysterious letter bequeathing her a substantial inheritance. She realizes very quickly that the letter was sent to the wrong person --- but also that the cold-reading skills she’s honed as a tarot card reader might help her claim the money.
Soon, Hal finds herself at the funeral of the deceased…where it dawns on her that there is something very, very wrong about this strange situation and the inheritance at the center of it.
Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware’s signature suspenseful style, this is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Ruth Ware's bio.
- Click here to visit Ruth Ware's website.
- Connect with Ruth Ware on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
NANAVILLE Audiobook and THE MOTHER-IN-LAW
NANAVILLE: Adventures in Grandparenting (Audiobook) written by Anna Quindlen, read by Cynthia Farrell (Memoir)
In NANAVILLE: Adventures in Grandparenting, her honest and oft-times wry memoir, Anna Quindlen talks about being the grandmother to her first grandchild, Arthur. She nails the role of grandparents in a child’s life and offers thoughtful and telling observations about it, as she is no longer mother and decision-maker but secondary character and support to the parents of her grandson. She writes, ‘Where I once led, I have to learn to follow.’ Eventually a close friend provides words to live by: ‘Did they ask you?’”
I listened to NANAVILLE, and Cynthia Farrell is a wonderful narrator. Her manner of narrating felt so personal that for a long while I thought it was Anna reading the book. It sounded like she knew Arthur and had bonded with him! This is the book that I am going to give every new grandmother. Seriously.
- Click here to read more about the audiobook.
- Click here to read a review of the hardcover.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on NANAVILLE.
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW by Sally Hepworth (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
If you have been reading this website and my Bets On selections for the last few years, you will know that I am a huge fan of Sally Hepworth, an Australian author who writes wonderful thrillers that revolve around home and family. In the first chapter of her latest, THE MOTHER-IN-LAW, we learn that Lucy’s mother-in-law, Diana, is dead. From there, we unpeel the layers of how she died, with the plot twisting this way and that, and lots of finger-pointing from the family.
When they first meet, Lucy is ready to impress Diana. She makes a few missteps but knows how much her boyfriend, Ollie, adores his mother and is determined that she will win Diana over. Diana is very much in charge and is tough to crack. Her work includes helping women who have arrived in Australia as refugees, and she toils tirelessly at helping them assimilate. She’s also stellar at entertaining and managing her home life. Lucy realizes that winning her over is going to be tougher than she planned. Tom, Ollie’s dad who made their family fortune, loves Lucy, but Diana remains cold.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE MOTHER-IN-LAW.
Bookreporter.com's 14th Annual
Mother's Day Contest: Books Mom Will Love
Mother’s Day is a time to recognize the woman who raised and nurtured us. To celebrate, we're giving you the opportunity to win books for yourself or the special lady in your life in our 14th annual "Books Mom Will Love" contest. From now through Wednesday, May 8th at noon ET, readers can enter to win one of our five prize packages, which includes 11 great fiction and nonfiction titles we think moms will love.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com’s 2019 Mother’s Day Author Blogs
Our Mother's Day Author Blogs are back for a 10th year! Once again, we are excited to be sharing pieces from authors who reminisce about reading books with their moms, or with their own children, and talk about how their moms influenced them to become readers and writers.
So far, we have heard from Kate White (whose latest Bailey Weggins mystery, SUCH A PERFECT WIFE, releases on May 7th) and Chris Pavone (whose new thriller, THE PARIS DIVERSION, also will be available on Tuesday).
Next week, we look forward to contributions from Melanie Benjamin, Sarah Blake, Armando Lucas Correa, Kaira Rouda and Wendy Wax.
Click here to read this year's Mother's Day Author Blogs.
Fiction Author Spotlight:
THE GUEST BOOK by Sarah Blake
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE GUEST BOOK by Sarah Blake (Fiction)
No. It is a simple word, uttered on a summer porch in 1936. And it will haunt Kitty Milton for the rest of her life. Kitty and her husband, Ogden, are both from families considered the backbone of the country. But this refusal will come to be Kitty’s defining moment, and its consequences will ripple through the Milton family for generations. For while they summer on their island in Maine, anchored as they are to the way things have always been, the winds of change are beginning to stir.
In 1959 New York City, two strangers enter the Miltons’ circle. One captures the attention of Kitty’s daughter, while the other makes each of them question what the family stands for. This new generation insists the times are changing. And in one night, everything does.
So much so that in the present day, the third generation of Miltons doesn’t have enough money to keep the island in Maine. Evie Milton’s mother has just died, and as Evie digs into her mother’s and grandparents’ history, what she finds is a story as unsettling as it is inescapable, the story that threatens the foundation of the Milton family myth.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Sarah Blake's bio.
- Click here to visit Sarah Blake's website.
- Click here to see the 35 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
Click here to read more in our Fiction Author Spotlight.
Don't miss our review of THE GUEST BOOK, which releases on May 7th, and our interview with Sarah Blake in next week's newsletter,
and Carol's Bets On commentary in the May 17th newsletter.
Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight:
THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK
by Kim Michele Richardson
THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson (Historical Fiction)
The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything --- everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome has its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.
Cussy's not only a book woman, however; she’s also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy’s family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she’s going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Kim Michele Richardson's bio.
- Click here to visit Kim Michele Richardson's website.
- Connect with Kim Michele Richardson on Facebook and Twitter.
- Click here to see the 50 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight.
Don't miss our review of THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK, which releases on May 7th, and our interview
with Kim Michele Richardson in next week's newsletter.
May’s Books on Screen Feature
FALL AND RISE: The Story of 9/11 by Mitchell Zuckoff (Modern History)
Audiobook available, read by Sean Pratt
In the days and months after 9/11, Mitchell Zuckoff, then a reporter for the Boston Globe, wrote about the attacks, the victims and their families. After further years of meticulous reporting, Zuckoff has filled FALL AND RISE with voices of the lost and the saved --- an out-of-work actor stuck in an elevator in the North Tower of the World Trade Center; the heroes aboard Flight 93 deciding to take action; a veteran trapped in the inferno in the Pentagon; the fire chief among the first on the scene in sleepy Shanksville; a team of firefighters racing to save an injured woman and themselves; and the men, women and children flying across country to see loved ones or for work who suddenly faced terrorists bent on murder. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.
SPRING by Ali Smith (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Juliette Burton
What unites Katherine Mansfield, Charlie Chaplin, Shakespeare, Rilke, Beethoven, Brexit, the present, the past, the north, the south, the east, the west, a man mourning lost times, a woman trapped in modern times? Spring. The great connective. With an eye to the migrancy of story over time and riffing on "Pericles," one of Shakespeare's most resistant and rollicking works, Ali Smith tells the impossible tale of an impossible time. In a time of walls and lockdown, Smith opens the door. The time we're living in is changing nature. Will it change the nature of story? Hope springs eternal. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
THE INVITED by Jennifer McMahon (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Amanda Carlin and Justine Eyre
Helen and Nate have abandoned the comforts of suburbia to take up residence on 44 acres of rural land where they will build the house of their dreams. When they discover that this beautiful property has a dark and violent past, Helen becomes consumed by the local legend of Hattie Breckenridge, a woman who lived and died there a century ago. With her passion for artifacts, Helen finds special materials to incorporate into the house --- objects that draw her deeper into the story of Hattie and her descendants, three generations of Breckenridge women, each of whom died suspiciously. As the building project progresses, the house will become a place of menace and unfinished business: a new home, now haunted, that beckons its owners and their neighbors toward unimaginable danger. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
WUNDERLAND by Jennifer Cody Epstein (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Lisa Flanagan
Things had never been easy between Ava Fisher and her estranged mother, Ilse. Too many questions hovered between them: Who was Ava's father? Where had Ilse been during the war? Why had she left her only child in a German orphanage during the war’s final months? But now Ilse’s ashes have arrived from Germany, and, with them, a trove of unsent letters addressed to someone else unknown to Ava: Renate Bauer, a childhood friend. As her mother’s letters unfurl a dark past, Ava spirals deep into the shocking history of a woman she never truly knew. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
CAPE MAY by Chip Cheek (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
Late September 1957. Henry and Effie, very young newlyweds from Georgia, arrive in Cape May, New Jersey, for their honeymoon only to find the town is deserted. Feeling shy of each other and isolated, they decide to cut the trip short. But before they leave, they meet a glamorous set of people who sweep them up into their drama --- Clara, a beautiful socialite who feels her youth slipping away; Max, a wealthy playboy and Clara’s lover; and Alma, Max’s aloof and mysterious half-sister, to whom Henry is irresistibly drawn. The empty beach town becomes their playground, and as they sneak into abandoned summer homes, go sailing, walk naked under the stars, make love and drink a great deal of gin, Henry and Effie slip from innocence into betrayal, with irrevocable consequences. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
AMERICAN MOONSHOT: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race by Douglas Brinkley (History)
Audiobook available, read by Stephen Graybill
On May 25, 1961, JFK made an astonishing announcement: his goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade. In AMERICAN MOONSHOT, Douglas Brinkley returns to the 1960s to recreate one of the most exciting and ambitious achievements in the history of humankind. The book brings together the extraordinary political, cultural and scientific factors that fueled the birth and development of NASA and the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo projects, which shot the United States to victory in the space race against the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War. Drawing on new primary source material and major interviews with many of the surviving figures who were key to America’s success, Brinkley brings this fascinating history to life as never before. Reviewed by Gabriella Mayer.
LITTLE DARLINGS by Melanie Golding (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Racine
Everyone says Lauren Tranter is exhausted, that she needs rest. And they’re right; with newborn twins, Morgan and Riley, she’s never been more tired in her life. But she knows what she saw: that night, in her hospital room, a woman tried to take her babies and replace them with her own...creatures. Yet when the police arrived, they saw no one. A month passes. And one bright summer morning, the babies disappear from Lauren’s side in a park. But when they’re found, something is different about them. The infants look like Morgan and Riley --- to everyone else. But to Lauren, something is off. As everyone around her celebrates their return, Lauren begins to scream, These are not my babies. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
A BOY AND HIS DOG AT THE END OF THE WORLD by C. A. Fletcher (Dystopian Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by C. A. Fletcher
My name's Griz. My childhood wasn't like yours. I've never had friends, and in my whole life I've not met enough people to play a game of football. My parents told me how crowded the world used to be, but we were never lonely on our remote island. We had each other, and our dogs. Then the thief came. There may be no law left except what you make of it. But if you steal my dog, you can at least expect me to come after you. Because if we aren't loyal to the things we love, what's the point? Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
DELTA-V by Daniel Suarez (Science Fiction/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jeff Gurner
When itinerant cave diver James Tighe receives an invitation to billionaire Nathan Joyce's private island, he thinks it must be a mistake. But Tighe's unique skill set makes him a prime candidate for Joyce's high-risk venture to mine a near-earth asteroid --- with the goal of kick-starting an entire off-world economy. The potential rewards and personal risks are staggering, but the competition is fierce and the stakes couldn't be higher. Isolated and pushed beyond their breaking points, Tighe and his fellow 21st-century adventurers --- ex-soldiers, former astronauts, BASE jumpers and mountain climbers --- must rely on each other to survive not only the dangers of a multi-year expedition but also the harsh realities of business in space. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
AFTERNOON OF A FAUN by James Lasdun (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Simon Vance
When an old flame accuses him of sexual assault in her memoir, expat English journalist Marco Rosedale is brought rapidly and inexorably to the brink of ruin. His reputation and livelihood at stake, Marco confides in a close friend, who finds himself caught between the obligations of friendship and an increasingly urgent desire to uncover the truth. This unnamed friend is drawn, magnetized, into the orbit of the woman at the center of the accusation --- and finds his position as the safely detached narrator turning into something more dangerous. Soon, the question of his own complicity becomes impossible to avoid. Reviewed by Rachel McConnell.
THE MISSING YEARS by Lexie Elliott (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Elizabeth Knowelden
Ailsa Calder has inherited half of a house. The other half belongs to a man who disappeared without a trace 27 years ago --- her father. Leaving London behind to settle the inheritance from her mother's estate, Ailsa returns to her childhood home, nestled amongst the craggy peaks of the Scottish Highlands, joined by the half-sister who's almost a stranger to her. Ailsa can't escape the claustrophobic feeling that the house itself is watching her --- as if her past hungers to consume her. She also can't ignore how the neighborhood animals refuse to set one foot within the gates of the garden. When the first nighttime intruder shows up, Ailsa fears that the manor's careless rugged beauty could cost her everything. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
LITTLE LOVELY THINGS by Maureen Joyce Connolly (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Elisabeth Rodgers
It is the wrong time to get sick. Speeding down the highway on the way to work, her two little girls sleeping in the back seat, medical resident Claire Rawlings doesn't have time for the nausea overtaking her. But as the world tilts sideways, she pulls into a gas station, runs to the bathroom and passes out. When she wakes up minutes later, her car --- and her daughters --- are gone. The police have no leads, and the weight of guilt presses down on Claire as each hour passes with no trace of her girls. All she has to hold on to are her strained marriage, a potentially unreliable witness who emerges days later, and the desperate but unquenchable belief that her daughters are out there somewhere. Reviewed by Leah DeCesare (www.leahdecesare.com).
THE VOLUNTEER by Salvatore Scibona (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
A small boy speaking an unknown language is abandoned by his father at an international airport, with only the clothes on his back and a handful of money jammed in the pocket of his coat. So begins THE VOLUNTEER. But in order to understand this heartbreaking and indefensible decision, the story must return to the moment, decades earlier, when a young man named Vollie Frade, almost on a whim, enlists in the United States Marine Corps to fight in Vietnam. Breaking definitively from his rural Iowan parents, Vollie puts in motion an unimaginable chain of events, which sees him go to work for insidious people with intentions he cannot yet grasp. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on May 7th
Below are some notable titles releasing on May 7th 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 available the week of May 6th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
THE BIG KAHUNA: A Fox and O'Hare Novel by Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich (Mystery)
A stoner, an Instagram model, a Czech oligarch and a missing unicorn. Nick Fox and Kate O'Hare have their work cut out for them in their weirdest, wildest adventure yet.
BLESSING IN DISGUISE by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
One of Danielle Steel’s most memorable characters comes to terms with unfinished business and long-buried truths as the mother of three very different daughters with three singular fathers.
THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson (Historical Fiction)
The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything --- everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt’s Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome has its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.
THE DAUGHTER'S TALE by Armando Lucas Correa (Historical Fiction)
From the internationally bestselling author of THE GERMAN GIRL comes an unforgettable family saga exploring a hidden piece of World War II history and the lengths a mother will go to protect her children.
THE FARM by Joanne Ramos (Fiction)
Joanne Ramos’ debut novel pushes to the extremes our thinking on motherhood, money and merit, and raises crucial questions about the trade-offs women will make to fortify their futures and the futures of those they love.
THE GUEST BOOK by Sarah Blake (Fiction)
Moving through three generations and back and forth in time, THE GUEST BOOK asks how we remember and what we choose to forget. It shows the untold secrets we inherit and pass on, unknowingly echoing our parents and grandparents.
THE PARIS DIVERSION by Chris Pavone (Thriller)
Kate Moore is back in a pulse-pounding thriller to discover that a massive terror attack across Paris is not what it seems --- and that it involves her family.
THE PIONEERS: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West by David McCullough (History)
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough rediscovers an important and dramatic chapter in the American story --- the settling of the Northwest Territory by dauntless pioneers who overcame incredible hardships to build a community based on ideals that would come to define our country.
THE ROAD HOME by Richard Paul Evans (Fiction)
THE ROAD HOME is the dramatic conclusion to the riveting Broken Road trilogy --- a powerful redemption story about finding happiness on a pilgrimage across iconic Route 66.
SUCH A PERFECT WIFE by Kate White (Mystery)
True-crime writer Bailey Weggins heads north from New York City to report on the mysterious disappearance of a woman --- a pretty wife and mother of two --- in Lake George, NY. An anonymous tip soon leads her to a grisly, bone-chilling discovery.
SUNSET BEACH by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
Out of a job and down on her luck, Drue Campbell’s life doesn’t seem to be getting any better when her estranged father, a flamboyant personal injury attorney, shows up at her mother’s funeral after a 20-year absence. Worse, he’s remarried --- to Drue’s eighth grade frenemy, Wendy, now his office manager. And they’re offering her a job.
THINGS MY SON NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD by Fredrik Backman (Humor/Essays)
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A MAN CALLED OVE shares an irresistible and moving collection of heartfelt, humorous essays about fatherhood, providing his newborn son with the perspective and tools he’ll need to make his way in the world.
WHERE THE LIGHT ENTERS: Building a Family, Discovering Myself by Jill Biden (Memoir)
An early heartbreak had left Jill Biden uncertain about love, until she met Joe. But as they grew closer, Jill faced difficult questions: How would politics shape her family and professional life? And was she ready to become a mother to Joe's two young sons? This is the story of how Jill built a family --- and a life --- of her own.
THE YANKEE WIDOW by Linda Lael Miller (Historical Fiction)
In THE YANKEE WIDOW, gifted storyteller Linda Lael Miller explores the complexities and heartbreak that families experienced as men took up arms to preserve the nation and defend their way of life.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: When Was the Book That You Are Currently Reading Published?
In what year was the book that you’re currently reading published?
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2019
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2018
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2017
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2016
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2015
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2014
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Earlier than 2014
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, May 10th 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 April 26th to May 10th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE PARIS DIVERSION by Chris Pavone and SUNSET BEACH by Mary Kay Andrews.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What
You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from May 1st to June 3rd at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Karen Cleveland's KEEP YOU CLOSE, read by Erin Bennett, and John Sandford's NEON PREY: A Lucas Davenport Novel, read by Richard Ferrone.
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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