|
Latest Update on Our GoFundMe Campaign
to Expand The Book Report Network:
$28,100 Raised --- We Are MORE Than HALFWAY There!
Thank you to those of you who already have donated to our GoFundMe campaign. So far we have raised $28,100 of our $50,000 goal, with online donations and checks!
In addition to your contributions, we are loving the comments that have been shared with donations about how you enjoy this newsletter and Bookreporter.com. Here are a couple that we received:
Karen: "I donated because you provide an invaluable resource to avid readers!"
Alexis: “Civilization is not civilized without readers.”
If you have not donated yet, may we ask that you consider it? Any level of donation that you would be comfortable with is sincerely appreciated. You can read more about our plans and donate here. If you would rather donate via check, our address is:
The Book Report, Inc.
850 Seventh Avenue - Suite 901
New York, NY 10019
Thank you again for your consideration and your donation.
Carol moderated the latest Book Club Girl's "Night Out" event this week at the HarperCollins offices in New York City. In the photo on the left, you can see her with Meg Mitchell Moore (THE ISLANDERS)
and Joshilyn Jackson (NEVER HAVE I EVER), both of whom she interviewed that evening.
One of the attendees was actress Miriam Shor from the television series "Younger" on TV Land.
Carol was thrilled to meet her and snag a picture with her, which you can see on the right.
Above you can watch Carol's interview with Meg Mitchell Moore and Joshilyn Jackson in its entirety.
Sally Hepworth stopped by the office this week and sat down with Carol for a
"Bookreporter Talks To" interview, which we will share with you in next week's newsletter.
Sally's latest book, THE MOTHER-IN-LAW, was a Bets On pick in April.
Carol read Linwood Barclay's upcoming thriller, ELEVATOR PITCH, which releases
on September 17th. She loved the book so much that it will be a Bets On pick.
Carol has been listening to and enjoying Chandler Baker's WHISPER NETWORK,
read by Almarie Guerra, which will be on sale July 2nd.
Carol bought these beautiful Phlox plants on Father's Day, and her husband Tom planted them.
Hello, Summer. It’s Nice to See You Again!
For the record, it would have been good to be a duck this week. The weather was so wet, so muggy and so humid. Instead of my usual Toms shoes, which I own in many colors, I should have bought turquoise boots for navigating the streets of the city.
On Monday night, my Long Hill Book Group had such fun talking to Wendy Walker via Skype. Twelve members all had read THE NIGHT BEFORE and pronounced it a fast-paced and quick read; they loved it! She talked to us about plotting, internet dating, writing, and juggling writing life and mom life (amusingly her boys came home as she was talking to us, and she walked her laptop up to her office while continuing the conversation). I loved the opportunity to share this chat with my fellow book club members.
Then I had 36 hours of events that felt like it was my own version of a book conference, with interviews and presentations. Between Wednesday and Thursday, I interviewed three authors; enjoyed lunch with an author and an evening at the Book Club Girl’s "Night Out" event at the HarperCollins offices; and drove to Long Island to do a reader’s advisory presentation for 43 librarians in Merrick, and then went on to Rockville Centre to kick off the Summer Reading program for the library there with an enthusiastic audience of 64 readers, including many of our readers.
I love getting out to meet people like this; though it’s been a complete whirlwind, I am very energized. This is the fourth year that I have done each of these Long Island events, and it was lovely to see familiar faces in each of the crowds. What was very touching was the reader who hand-delivered a donation to our GoFundMe project from the Lynbrook Ladies Literary book group; that meant so, so much to me!
Last week, I mentioned that there was an author who I was hoping to interview --- and I am thrilled to share that this came together! Sally Hepworth, whose new book THE MOTHER-IN-LAW was a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick when it released in April, lives in Melbourne, Australia. In her latest newsletter, she wrote that she was coming to the States for about 72 hours to do an appearance on "Good Morning America." I immediately contacted her publisher to see if I could do a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with her. Sally and I had never met before this, but we sat down next to each other at lunch on Wednesday, and within minutes I felt like I was with an old friend. We are editing the video of the interview now and look forward to sharing it with you next week. You can see a still shot of the two of us above.
On Wednesday evening, I thoroughly enjoyed moderating a discussion with Joshilyn Jackson, the author of the upcoming NEVER HAVE I EVER, which will be in stores on July 30th, and Meg Mitchell Moore, author of THE ISLANDERS, which is a Bets On selection this week. Both Joshilyn and Meg told wonderful stories, and the discussion was very lively and lots of fun. For those of you who would like to watch the interview in its entirety, we have added the Facebook Live video link above, which you should be able to watch even if you are not on Facebook. Annmarie, one of our longtime readers, wrote a brief blog post about the evening that you can read here. I appreciate her doing that!
The evening also had its moment when I could be starstruck. Miriam Shor, who plays Diana Trout on the TV show "Younger," was at the Book Club Girl event and had such kind words to say about the interview with Joshilyn and Meg. For those of you who have not watched the show, it’s on TV Land and in its sixth season. The plot revolves around a fortysomething woman named Liza who fakes her age to be twentysomething to get a job at a publishing company. The character of Diana is the marketing director at the company, which is called Empirical Press, and she is one very strong and intimidating personality on the show. In person, she was such fun to chat with, and very humorous when she shared that her knowledge of marketing books is as deep as the lines that are written for her for the show. You can see a photo of us above. Nice cap to a really fun evening.
As I write this newsletter, I am a tad hoarse from a lot of talking, but also am very, very happy with how this week unfolded. For humor, for those of you who think my life is so glamorous, I have to share this story. Last night, Sarah from the Rockville Centre Public Library wanted to take me out to dinner before the event, which was so kind of her. It was POURING rain as I pulled up to the library; think a faucet turned on full blast, and you have the picture. She talked about a number of restaurants that we could go to, and each sounded lovely. But as we drove around, none had parking close by, and I confess that I was tired of faking being a duck. I was so over having wet shoes.
So I, who rarely eat fast food, asked, “Is there any place that we can we drive through around here?” And yes, folks, we headed for “The Golden Arches,” where we ordered from the car and ate there with the windshield wipers whooshing on the max setting. We both were very happy about this and laughed about it a lot. There are times when it is all about the food, and there are times when it is all about the company. On Thursday night, it was the latter!
In between the week’s events, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Linwood Barclay’s ELEVATOR PITCH, which will be in stores on September 17th. It lives up to its promo copy as “an edge-of-your-seat thriller that does for elevators what Psycho did for showers and Jaws did for the beach --- a heart-pounding tale in which a series of disasters paralyzes New York City with fear.” Every elevator ride that I have taken now has me bracing for a freefall, and I am watching as the doors open to be sure the car really is there. Seriously, this book played lots of games with my head. A signature of Linwood’s writing for me is that we meet a number of characters and then wait to see how they all will come together to ratchet up the drama. The last 50 pages of ELEVATOR PITCH are very brisk with many moments of tension all building on each other. It will be a Bets On selection!
Also, I just about finished listening to WHISPER NETWORK by Chandler Baker. With merely one disc of listening left, I still have no idea who may have killed the character who died. It will be in stores on July 2nd. I am enjoying the narration from Almarie Guerra; there is lots of great tension in the storytelling.
Now to this week’s update...
Elin Hilderbrand has been delving into new genre territory lately, and her fans are loving it. Last June saw the release of her first mystery, THE PERFECT COUPLE. Now, just one year later, she is back with her debut historical novel, SUMMER OF ’69. In it, four siblings experience the drama, intrigue and upheaval of a summer when everything changed. Vivian Payton has our review and says, “The depth of [Hilderbrand’s] research is awe-inspiring; I felt like I was reliving history, and it brought back a ton of memories…. SUMMER OF ’69 brings you down memory lane, and you will be singing the songs of yesteryear in your mind, which is the most fun part of this book.”
SUMMER OF ’69 is one of our current Word of Mouth prizes; the other is THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams (which will be a Summer Reading contest title next month). Let us know by Thursday, July 11th at noon ET what books you’ve read for your chance to win both these outstanding works of historical fiction.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include Elizabeth Gilbert’s return to fiction, CITY OF GIRLS, in which a young woman discovers that you don't have to be a good girl to be a good person; THE LAST HOUSE GUEST, Megan Miranda’s suspenseful new novel about an idyllic town in Maine dealing with the suspicious death of one of their own --- and her best “summer” friend, who is trying to uncover the truth...before fingers point her way (this will be a Bets On pick next week); FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE, debut novelist Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s timely exploration of marriage, divorce and the bewildering dynamics of ambition; CONVICTION by Denise Mina, in which a true-crime podcast sets a housewife's present life on a collision course with her secret past; and THE PORPOISE, a reimagining of the ancient legend of Appolinus of Tyre --- as retold by Shakespeare in his play, “Pericles, Prince of Tyre” --- from the author of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, Mark Haddon.
I have THREE Bets On commentaries to share with you this week: MRS. EVERYTHING by Jennifer Weiner, the aforementioned THE ISLANDERS by Meg Mitchell Moore, and THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali. Click on each of the titles to see why I am betting you will love these books and will want to talk about them.
The latter two were Summer Reading prizes this week, along with the aforementioned THE NIGHT BEFORE by Wendy Walker (a Bets On pick) and SISTERS OF SUMMER’S END by Lori Foster. Next week, we’ll be giving away EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER by Linda Holmes, LAST WOMAN STANDING by Amy Gentry, LIFELINES by Heidi Diehl, and A NEARLY NORMAL FAMILY by M.T. Edvardsson, the latter of which will be a Bets On selection. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, June 24th at noon ET.
Today is the first official day of summer, and to celebrate its arrival, our latest poll asks where you like to read during the summer. Click here to let us know all your favorite places!
Our previous poll asked which of 20 fiction titles releasing this month you are planning to read. Here are your top five picks: MRS. EVERYTHING by Jennifer Weiner (39%), SUMMER OF '69 by Elin Hilderbrand (38%), CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert (36%), SEARCHING FOR SYLVIE LEE by Jean Kwok (36%), and THE FRIENDS WE KEEP by Jane Green (30%). Click here for all the results.
There’s still time to enter this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to by Monday, July 1st at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win the audio versions of Jennifer Weiner's MRS. EVERYTHING, read by Ari Graynor and Beth Malone, and Mary Alice Monroe's THE SUMMER GUESTS, read by Cassandra Campbell.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Heidi wrote, “First, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed THE SUMMER COTTAGE. Fun summer read. It makes me want to travel to Michigan and find a quaint B&B. Secondly, for some reason, two copies were delivered. Tomorrow is my book club’s “end of year” luncheon, so I plan to raffle the copies off. I’m sure two more ladies will enjoy reading this as well. Thank you for the books and your wonderful website.” ,I too, want to go visit a B&B in Michigan.
Susan wrote, “I just wanted to thank you for this week’s fabulous newsletter. There is so much information I don’t know where to start. From the latest books to read, Bets On books and fall previews, it is just a fantastic source for an avid reader like myself. On Saturday mornings, my husband reads the New York Times, and I bury myself in your newsletter...a great way to start the weekend! Thank you again for enlightening us all on the joys of reading. I am such a fan of this newsletter. Have a great weekend!” That is such a lovely compliment.
Betty wrote with much-needed hydrangea help: “When I lived in northern New Jersey (for 27 years), we had lovely hydrangea bushes along the driveway. A neighbor advised me to prune yearly by cutting every third cane at the base of the plant as close to the ground as possible. I don’t recall for certain, but I believe I did this in the fall after blooming was done and the canes were 'woody.' In three years, all the growth will be 'new.' Hope this helps." This makes so much sense; some of the sticks that I am pulling out now are not attached at the roots at all.
"Younger": The new season of the aforementioned "Younger" kicked off last week; two episodes in, I am enjoying it.
"Big Little Lies": I was very skeptical about a season two of "Big Little Lies," and I have been very pleasantly surprised with it. And Iain Armitage, who plays both Ziggy on that show and Sheldon on "Young Sheldon," is a terrific young actor...and he is only 10 years old.
"City on a Hill": I want to take a look at this new show on Showtime this weekend.
I bought the stunning Phlox plants that you see above on Father’s Day (I loved the color and had to have them) and asked Tom to plant them. He said next year on Mother's Day I can wax his car. He is so amusing!
Greg is in Ottawa with Land Rover friends for an event called “The Birthday Party.” I am not sure why it is called that; he rented a brand-new Discovery to drive up there to layer in even more fun for the weekend. And with this long “test drive,” he can write a piece about it. Yes, he is his mother’s son. Tom is headed to Old-Timers' Day at Yankee Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
I assume Cory will be in and out; he has found an apartment in a town nearby and will be moving there next week with his good friend, Skyler, who is a frat brother and also was his roommate at some point in college. He is doing a lot of shopping and planning. This is a bittersweet moment, and a big milestone. I am going to miss having him around the house, but I am excited about him taking this next big step, and the place looks great. I feel like I am on an episode of an HGTV show as he talks about the hardwood floors throughout, brand-new stainless steel appliances (however, I am not sure about granite countertops), double sinks in the bathroom, and a full-sized washer/dryer in the unit. Seriously, doesn’t that sound like most episodes? I am happy that he still will be close enough to grab dinners here. I am sure that we have a lot to contribute to this apartment from the attic and basement here, and I will be trolling each this weekend to figure that out.
Enjoy this first summer weekend. Kick it back a notch, which is what summer is all about. 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: SUMMER OF ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand
SUMMER OF '69 by Elin Hilderbrand (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Erin Bennett
It's 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother's historic home in downtown Nantucket. But like so much else in America, nothing is the same. Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests and determined to be independent, takes a summer job on Martha's Vineyard. Only-son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother and her worried mother, each of them hiding a troubling secret. Reviewed by Vivian Payton.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert
CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Blair Brown
In 1940, 19-year-old Vivian Morris has just been kicked out of Vassar College, owing to her lackluster freshman-year performance. Her affluent parents send her to Manhattan to live with her Aunt Peg, who owns a flamboyant, crumbling midtown theater called the Lily Playhouse. There Vivian is introduced to an entire cosmos of unconventional and charismatic characters. But when she makes a personal mistake that results in professional scandal, it turns her new world upside down in ways that it will take her years to fully understand. Now 89 years old and telling her story at last, Vivian recalls how the events of those years altered the course of her life --- and the gusto and autonomy with which she approached it. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review:
THE LAST HOUSE GUEST by Megan Miranda
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE LAST HOUSE GUEST by Megan Miranda (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Rebekkah Ross
Littleport, Maine, has always felt like two separate towns: an ideal vacation enclave for the wealthy, whose summer homes line the coastline, and a simple harbor community for the year-round residents whose livelihoods rely on service to the visitors. Typically, fierce friendships never develop between a local and a summer girl, but that’s just what happens with visitor Sadie Loman and resident Avery Greer. Each summer for almost a decade, the girls are inseparable --- until Sadie is found dead. While the police rule the death a suicide, Avery can’t help but feel there are those in the community, including a local detective and Sadie’s brother, Parker, who blame her. Someone knows more than they’re saying, and Avery is intent on clearing her name, before the facts get twisted against her. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to visit Megan Miranda's website.
Click here to read the review.
THE LAST HOUSE GUEST will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
MRS. EVERYTHING, THE ISLANDERS
and THE STATIONERY SHOP
MRS. EVERYTHING by Jennifer Weiner (Fiction)
It's been four years since Jennifer Weiner has written a novel for adults (she wrote two children's books and a book of essays), and this book is quite a departure for her. MRS. EVERYTHING is a big sweeping novel telling the story of two sisters between the 1950s and the present with an eye on what happened for women socially through these years. Packed into these seven decades are cultural touchstones that will be familiar to readers. Jen wanted to write a big book, and she pulled it off here. There is a huge difference between wanting to do something and executing it! MRS. EVERYTHING is a big story that flows briskly in Jen’s hands.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on MRS. EVERYTHING.
THE ISLANDERS by Meg Mitchell Moore (Fiction)
THE ISLANDERS by Meg Mitchell Moore is a great summer read to add to your reading pile. The book features three characters whose stories weave together. One of them is an author, Anthony Puckett, and he brings a storyline about books and the world of publishing to explore, which is so well done (Anthony’s dad is a mega bestseller whose shadow he walks in). Joy is a single mom who owns a café called Joy Bombs, where she serves whoopie pies. Her business is threatened by a food truck that has made its way onto the island and is cruising the streets. Lu is a mom who stays home reluctantly with her two young sons. She has a hidden life that will be such fun for readers to delve into.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on THE ISLANDERS.
THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali (Fiction)
THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali is a beautifully written book that is full of emotion and heart. I loved it and already can see it will be one of my favorite books of 2019. It is set in Tehran in 1953 against the backdrop of the political upheaval in Iran. In it, Roya has fallen in love with Bahman, a young boy who loves Rumi's poetry; they are both 17. A small stationery shop is where they meet, and their relationship blossoms under the kind eye of the proprietor of the shop, Mr. Fakhri. The two plan to be married on August 19th, against their family’s wishes, but an uprising thwarts their plans, and Roya loses track of Bahman in the tumultuous days that follow. Sixty years later, they meet again in California, and Roya will get a moment to ask the questions that have haunted her for decades.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on THE STATIONERY SHOP.
Featured Review: FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE
by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Allyson Ryan
Toby Fleishman thought he knew what to expect when he and his wife of almost 15 years separated. He could not have predicted that one day, in the middle of his summer of sexual emancipation, Rachel would just drop their two children off at his place and simply not return. As Toby tries to figure out where Rachel went, all while juggling his patients at the hospital, his never-ending parental duties, and his new app-assisted sexual popularity, his tidy narrative of the spurned husband with the too-ambitious wife is his sole consolation. But if Toby ever wants to truly understand what happened to Rachel and what happened to his marriage, he is going to have to consider that he might not have seen things all that clearly in the first place. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: CONVICTION by Denise Mina
CONVICTION by Denise Mina (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Cathleen McCarron
The day Anna McDonald's quiet, respectable life explodes starts off like all the days before: packing up the kids for school, making breakfast, listening to yet another true-crime podcast. Then her husband comes downstairs with an announcement, and Anna is suddenly, shockingly alone. Reeling and desperate for distraction, she returns to the podcast. Other people's problems are much better than one's own. But this case actually is Anna's problem. She knows one of the victims from an earlier life, a life she's taken great pains to leave behind. And she is convinced that she knows what really happened. Then an unexpected visitor arrives on her front stoop, a meddling neighbor intervenes, and life as Anna knows it is well and truly over. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE PORPOISE by Mark Haddon
THE PORPOISE by Mark Haddon (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Tim McInnerny
Maja, the pregnant wife of the unimaginably wealthy Philippe, is killed in a harrowing plane crash, but their daughter Angelica survives. Philippe's obsession with the girl's safety morphs into something sinister and grotesque as she grows into a beautiful teen. A young man named Darius, visiting Philippe with a business proposition, encounters Angelica and intuits their secret --- he decides to rescue her, but the attempt goes awry and he flees England by sea. This contemporary story mirrors the ancient legend of Antiochus, whose love for the daughter of his dead wife was discovered by the adventurer Appolinus of Tyre, who becomes the swashbuckling Pericles. As Angelica comes to terms with a life imprisoned on her father's estate, Darius morphs into Pericles, voyaging through a mythic world. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
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 23rd, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, June 24th at noon ET.
This year’s prize books include:
Click here to read all the contest details.
See the prize books that were awarded in May
and that will be awarded in June, July and August.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
We currently have two contests running on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?": Win 12 Copies of THE GREAT BELIEVERS by Rebecca Makkai for Your Group
Each month in our "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month" contest, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Our current prize book is THE GREAT BELIEVERS, Rebecca Makkai's award-winning novel of friendship and redemption in the face of tragedy and loss set in 1980s Chicago and contemporary Paris. Now available in paperback, this Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist has been optioned for television by Amy Poehler. Enter here by Wednesday, July 10th at noon ET.
Win 12 Copies of MANHATTAN BEACH for Your Group and an Opportunity to Chat with Jennifer Egan
Winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, MANHATTAN BEACH tells the haunting story of Anna Kerrigan, who becomes the Brooklyn Naval Yard's first female diver during World War II, and her search for her missing father. We are giving five groups the chance to win 12 copies of this New York Times bestselling novel, plus the opportunity to chat with its author, Jennifer Egan. Ten additional readers will be awarded a copy of the book, which was last year's "One Book, One New York" pick. Enter here by Thursday, June 27th at noon ET.
Here are our latest featured guides:
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.
PATSY by Nicole Dennis-Benn (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sharon Gordon
When Patsy gets her long-coveted visa to America, it comes after years of yearning to leave Pennyfield, the beautiful but impoverished Jamaican town where she was raised. More than anything, Patsy wishes to be reunited with her oldest friend, Cicely, whose letters arrive from New York steeped in the promise of a happier life and the possible rekindling of their young love. But Patsy’s plans don’t include her overzealous, evangelical mother or even her five-year-old daughter, Tru. Beating with the pulse of a long-withheld confession, PATSY gives voice to a woman who looks to America for the opportunity to choose herself first --- not to give a better life to her family back home. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
THOSE PEOPLE by Louise Candlish (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Katharine McEwan, with Jonathan Cowley, Jayne Entwistle, Andrew Fallaise, Paul Fox, Billie Jd Porter and Moira Quirk
Lowland Way is the suburban dream. The houses are beautiful, the neighbors get along, and the kids play together on weekends. But when Darren and Jodie move into the house on the corner, they donʼt follow the rules. They blast music at all hours, begin an unsightly renovation, and run a used-car business from their yard. It doesn’t take long for an all-out war to start brewing. Then, early one Saturday, a horrific death shocks the street. As police search for witnesses, accusations start flying --- and everyone has something to hide. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
HER DAUGHTER'S MOTHER by Daniela Petrova (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Tavia Gilbert, Carlotta Brentan, Dan Bittner and Lisa Flanagan
Lana Stone has never considered herself a stalker --- until the night she impulsively follows a familiar face through the streets of New York's Upper West Side. Her target? The "anonymous" egg donor she'd selected through an agency, the one who's making motherhood possible for her. Hungry to learn more about her, Lana plans only to watch her from a distance. But when circumstances bring them face-to-face, an unexpected friendship is born. Then, just as suddenly as Katya entered Lana's life, she disappears --- and Lana might have been the last person to see her before she went missing. As she digs into Katya's past, Lana is unprepared for the secrets she unearths, and their power to change everything she thought she knew about those she loves best. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
THIS IS HOME by Lisa Duffy (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Renata Friedman and Emily Woo Zeller
After the death of her mother, 16-year-old Libby Winters lives with her father, Bent, in the middle apartment of their triple decker home --- Bent’s two sisters, Lucy and Desiree, live on the top floor. Quinn Ellis is at a crossroads. When her husband John, who has served two tours in Iraq, goes missing back at home, suffering from PTSD he refuses to address, Quinn finds herself living in the first-floor apartment of the Winters house. For Libby, the new tenant downstairs is an unwelcome guest, another body filling up her already crowded house. But soon enough, an unlikely friendship begins to blossom, when Libby and Quinn stretch and redefine their definition of family and home. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE PERFECT FRAUD by Ellen LaCorte (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Karissa Vacker and Elizabeth Godley
When we first meet Claire, she’s living in Sedona, Arizona, with her boyfriend Cal and ducking calls from her mother. Her mom is a world class psychic on the East Coast, and Claire doesn’t want her to discover the truth. Claire works in the family business and calls herself a psychic, but she doesn’t really have “the gift” and hasn’t for a long time. She's a fraud. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Rena, a young mother, has family issues of her own. She’s divorced, and her four-year-old daughter, Stephanie, suffers from mysterious, seemingly incurable stomach problems. When Claire and Rena meet by chance on an airplane, their carefully constructed lives begin to explode. Can these two women help each other, and can they help Stephanie before it’s too late? Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
THE CUTTING ROOM by Ashley Dyer (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Peter Noble
Lured to a “crime scene” by a mysterious digital invitation, Ruth Lake is horrified by what she finds: a bizarre and gruesome tableau surrounded by a crowd of gawkers. The deadly work is the latest “art installation” designed by a diabolical criminal dubbed the Ferryman. Not only is this criminal cold-blooded, he’s a narcissistic exhibitionist desperate for an audience. He’s also clever at promoting his deadly handiwork. Exploiting England’s current true-crime craze, he uses social media to titillate and terrorize the public. Ruth is joined in the investigation by her partner Greg Carver, who is slowly regaining his strength after a run-in with another sadistic criminal. But Greg can’t seem to shake the bewildering effects of the head wound that nearly ended him. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
ASSASSIN OF SHADOWS by Lawrence Goldstone (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Joel Richards
Just after 4pm on September 6, 1901, 28-year-old anarchist Leon Czolgosz pumped two shots into the chest and abdomen of President William McKinley. Both law enforcement and the press insisted that Czolgosz was merely the tip of a vast and murderous conspiracy, likely instigated by the “high priestess of anarchy,” Emma Goldman. To untangle its threads and bring the remaining conspirators to justice, the president’s most senior advisors choose two other Secret Service agents, Walter George and Harry Swayne. What they uncover will not only absolve the anarchists, but also expose a plot that will threaten the foundations of American democracy and likely cost them their lives. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.
END OF THE OCEAN by Matthew McBride (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Keith Szarabajka
When newly divorced Sage arrives in Bali, his only plan is to drink on the beach until his money runs out and then return home to start over. So he’s caught by surprise when he falls in love with the country and its people, particularly the attractive and considerate Ratri. Soon Sage can no longer see himself living anywhere else, even as his funds dwindle and his visa’s expiration date nears. Increasingly desperate to stay with Ratri, Sage finds himself being recruited by a drug-smuggling ring --- in a country where drug trafficking is punishable by death. The promised payout would be enough to set Sage and Ratri up for life, but only if Sage isn’t caught. Will Sage go home and risk the life he envisions with Ratri, or risk everything to stay and make that life possible? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 25th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 25th 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 June 24th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
AFTER THE END by Clare Mackintosh (Fiction)
AFTER THE END is a deeply moving and page-turning novel about an impossible choice --- and the two paths fate could take.
BACKLASH by Brad Thor (Political Thriller)
In the most explosive novel Brad Thor has ever written, page after captivating page of action, intrigue, loyalty and betrayal will keep you hooked until the very last sentence and a revelation that will take your breath away.
BIG SKY by Kate Atkinson (Thriller)
Jackson Brodie's current job, gathering proof of an unfaithful husband for his suspicious wife, is fairly standard-issue, but a chance encounter with a desperate man on a crumbling cliff leads him into a sinister network --- and back across the path of his old friend, Reggie.
EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER by Linda Holmes (Fiction/Humor)
From the host of NPR's "Pop Culture Happy Hour" podcast comes a heartfelt debut about the unlikely relationship between a young woman who's lost her husband and a major league pitcher who's lost his game.
LOST AND FOUND by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
What might have been? That tantalizing question propels a woman on a cross-country adventure to reunite with the men she loved and let go.
A NEARLY NORMAL FAMILY written by M.T. Edvardsson, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles (Psychological/Legal Thriller)
In this twisted narrative of love and murder, a horrific crime makes a seemingly normal family question everything they thought they knew about their life --- and each other.
TOTAL MAYHEM: A Jonathan Grave Thriller by John Gilstrap (Political Thriller)
In John Gilstrap’s ticking time bomb of a thriller, freelance operative Jonathan Grave penetrates a terrorist cell to stop the detonation of total mayhem on home ground.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Your Go-To Places
to Read Over the Summer
Where do you like to read books during the summer? Please check all that apply.
-
At the beach
-
By the pool
-
At the lake
-
At the park
-
On my patio
-
In my backyard
-
In my house or apartment
-
At the library
-
At a bookstore
-
In a café
-
At the airport
-
On an airplane
-
In a car
-
On the train, subway or bus
-
Wherever I am on my vacation
-
Other (Please specify)
Click here to vote in the poll by Thursday, July 11th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from June 21st to July 11th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams and SUMMER OF '69 by Elin Hilderbrand.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What
You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from June 3rd to July 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Jennifer Weiner's MRS. EVERYTHING, read by Ari Graynor and Beth Malone, and Mary Alice Monroe's THE SUMMER GUESTS, read by Cassandra Campbell.
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.
|
