April 10, 2020
 April 10, 2020Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com Reviews | Features | Bookreporter.com Bets On | Upcoming Bets On   We have two new "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews to share with you.  Our second interview is with Lisa Wingate, whose latest novel is THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS.  Carol has this uplifting sentiment happily displayed in her house.   Above are two of Carol's favorite Easter decorations.  Carol talks about this week's Bookreporter update in our latest promo video. Happy Everything! IF there is ever a next time that we have to quarantine, I am going to be sure we have a massage therapist stuck with us. We can recommend books, cook, bake, knit and build furniture, but there are other skills needed here. I feel like we are on the prairie, and I want to assemble the best team possible. Tom applied his engineering skills to coloring my hair last weekend; he did a very good job, and we learned a lot in case there is a “next time” for at-home hair color, which I think there will be. He told me he missed a spot, but clearly I cannot see it. Grocery shopping, which used to be a no-brainer, is now a bigger effort. Tom is the sole hunter and gatherer at our house, and it often takes more than one store to get this accomplished. I have seen new brands of foods making their way here that I do not recall seeing on the shelves, but there they are. We are making a lot of old favorites, but experimenting with new recipes too. Will there be lamb for Easter? I am not sure about that one yet. We will see what our hunter/gatherer can do about that. Thank you to ALL of you who weighed in with the answer to Hedy’s question in the newsletter last week. The author is Kelley Armstrong, and the books to which Hedy was referring are part of the Rockton series. The main character is Casey Duncan, a homicide detective, and the novels are set in a town called Rockton in the wilds of Canada. It kicked off with CITY OF THE LOST, and the latest installment is ALONE IN THE WILD, which came out in February. Therese Plummer is the narrator of the series and, according to one of the readers we heard from, does a wonderful job. Two readers, Marla and Nadine, responded to Hedy's question within an hour of the newsletter going out! BUT we heard from dozens more, including Kelley’s editor, who shared that a new book will be coming in February 2021! On Monday night, I attended a wonderful online event: "Our Brilliant Friends," an after-dinner book club and watch party that took place at 9pm ET on Zoom, an hour before the latest episode of "My Brilliant Friend," the HBO adaptation of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan quartet, aired. It was co-hosted by Europa Editions and the Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, NY. The panelists included the translator of the novels, Ann Goldstein; Lisa Lucas, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation; Noreen Tomassi, Executive Director of the Center for Fiction; and Michael Reynolds, Editor in Chief of Europa Editions. The discussion was great, and it included a brief reading by Goldstein from Ferrante's upcoming novel, THE LYING LIFE OF ADULTS, which will be published on September 1st. A number of us stayed on to talk about the episode as we watched, but I confess that I did not comment much as I was enjoying it and reading subtitles. Two Bookreporter readers reached out to me during the event for side chats, which was fun. For those who would like to participate in Monday’s event, scroll further down the newsletter for all the details. While the tickets are free, you will be given the option to donate to #SaveIndieBookstores when you register. This campaign was launched last week with the support of James Patterson, Reese’s Book Club, the American Booksellers Association, and the Book Industry Charitable Foundation. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of interviewing Robert Kolker, the author of HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD: Inside the Mind of an American Family, for a “Bookreporter Talks To” segment. It’s the story of the Galvin family; they have 12 children, 10 of them boys, and six of those boys have schizophrenia. I will give you a moment to digest that. I heard about this book at a preview a few months ago when Bob spoke about it, and I immediately knew I had to read it. I also confess that I looked at the cover and counted the children over and over. The mother is pregnant to give you the 12th. I read it and folded down so many pages that I wanted to discuss with Bob. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast. Just this week, it was announced that the book is Oprah's latest book club selection, and it will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. I so enjoyed our conversation and hope that you do as well. Our reviewer Jane Krebs calls HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD “a compelling read” and goes on to say, “In his Acknowledgements, Kolker credits his mother for having told him that she could hear his voice in his writing. I believe every reader will also hear the wise, intelligent compassion he brings in showing us the personal, anguished stories from so many people whose lives have been touched by schizophrenia.” Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter. Oprah weighed in with her thoughts: "This is a riveting true story of an American family that reads like a medical detective journey," she says. "It reveals the shame, denial, shock, confusion and misunderstanding of mental illness at a time when no one was really sure what schizophrenia was or how to treat it." Click here to watch a video where Oprah talks more about why this book is her latest selection. She plans to interview Bob and members of the Galvin family remotely for her Apple TV+ series, which is scheduled to air in May. On Wednesday afternoon, I interviewed Lisa Wingate about her latest book, THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS. Many of our readers were huge fans of BEFORE WE WERE YOURS (which was a Bets On selection), and I know that you, like me, have been looking forward to a new novel from Lisa. I had the pleasure of hearing her speak about this one in January, and I am so happy to have the opportunity to share with you my interview with her. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast. According to our reviewer Amy Gwiazdowski, “These characters take you along on the journey, and you find yourself right there with them. Wingate delivers a story that is heartbreaking and full of grief but also joy and optimism. It’s a perfect excuse to curl up on the couch and read.” Other books we’re reviewing this week include Don Winslow’s latest, BROKEN, a collection of six tales connected by the themes of crime, corruption, vengeance, justice, loss, betrayal, guilt and redemption; ONE FATAL FLAW by Anne Perry, in which two fiery deaths have young lawyer Daniel Pitt and his scientist friend Miriam fford Croft racing to solve a forensic crisis; and REVENGE, James Patterson and Andrew Holmes’ thriller about a former SAS soldier who is ready to settle into civilian life when he is hired to solve the mysterious death of a daughter, diving into a seedy world that a parent never expects to see their child in. BROKEN and ONE FATAL FLAW are our current Word of Mouth prizes. Let us know by Friday, April 17th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these mysteries/thrillers. I will be interviewing Don Winslow about BROKEN next week. I have read two of the six stories, and they are brilliant. I am making tons of notes to discuss with him. THE ENGINEER’S WIFE is the latest book we’re featuring in our New Release Spotlight. Tracey Enerson Wood’s first novel has been touted by the publisher as being perfect for those who enjoyed Marie Benedict’s THE OTHER EINSTEIN. Emily Warren Roebling’s fight for women's suffrage is put on hold when her husband Wash, the Chief Engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, is injured on the job. She takes over his responsibilities, despite stern resistance and overwhelming obstacles. As the project takes shape under Emily's direction, she wonders whose legacy she is building --- hers or her husband's. I am looking forward to reading this book! Another debut novel, THE GIRLS AT 17 SWANN STREET by Yara Zgheib, is this week’s Paperback Spotlight title. You may remember this was one of my Bets On picks from last year when it released in hardcover. Anna Roux was a professional dancer who followed the man of her dreams from Paris to Missouri. There, she struggles with anorexia and depression until she weighs a mere 88 pounds. Forced to seek treatment, she is admitted as a patient at 17 Swann Street, where pale, fragile women with life-threatening eating disorders live. Together, they must fight their diseases and face six meals a day. Click here for our review and here for my Bets On commentary. THE GIRLS AT 17 SWANN STREET is just one of the books we’re featuring in this month’s New in Paperback roundups. Others include paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as Lee Child (BLUE MOON: A Jack Reacher Thriller), Michael Connelly (THE NIGHT FIRE: A Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch Novel), Jennifer Weiner (MRS. EVERYTHING, a Bets On selection), and Linwood Barclay (ELEVATOR PITCH, another Bets On pick); nonfiction titles, such as STONY THE ROAD: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR: The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the Thirteen Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue by John Glatt; and paperback originals like HAVE YOU SEEN ME? by Kate White, THE GERMAN HEIRESS by Anika Scott (we currently are featuring the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com), and NO GOING BACK by Sheena Kamal. In this week’s Spring Preview contests, we gave away the aforementioned THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS and THE ENGINEER’S WIFE. Next week’s prizes will be CIRCE by Madeline Miller (which is coming out in paperback on Tuesday), THE DAUGHTERS OF ERIETOWN by Connie Schultz, HE STARTED IT by Samantha Downing, and TRUTHS I NEVER TOLD YOU by Kelly Rimmer. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, April 13th at noon ET. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to in April’s Sounding Off on Audio contest for your chance to win the audio versions of Julia Spencer-Fleming's HID FROM OUR EYES: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery, read by Suzanne Toren, and D.J. Palmer's THE NEW HUSBAND, read by January LaVoy and Rebecca Soler. Please enter by Friday, May 1st at noon ET, and don’t miss our reviews of the hardcover editions of both later this month. Our poll continues to ask which of 22 titles releasing in April you’re planning to read. Click here to let us know what you’re excited about reading this month. I love seeing what interests you! In addition to Oprah’s selection, here are some of this month’s other recently announced book club picks:
For more April selections, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
Reader Mail: Carol wrote this about winning THE ENGINEER’S WIFE in our Spring Preview contest: “Thank you! It looked really good in the blurb about it. I am looking forward to reading it.” Dianne from North Carolina wrote, ”When I opened my email from you, I was looking forward to reading about new upcoming books, but to my surprise I had won two books. I am so excited to win GOLDEN IN DEATH and THE WARSAW PROTOCOL. Being retired, I have plenty of time to read and always look forward to the weekly email of new books being published, and that is where I am finding my books to read. Friends are always asking me how I found out about these books, and I give them your site information. When the new interviews with the authors are released, I listen to them as I do my daily walk; it’s such a pleasure." "My latest recommendation to read/listen to is AMERICAN DIRT. What a blood pressure raiser it was; I felt I was walking every mile on the dusty hot road. During the last few chapters, I actually felt my body tightening worried they would not make it across. What a book; I highly recommend it. Yes, I related it to THE GRAPES OF WRATH too. Currently, I’m reading THE YELLOW BIRD SINGS. It’s a very quick read, and it'll touch your heart; no matter how horrible things are in the world, kindness can be found. Thank you so very much for the gift of books and your daily/weekly emails of wonderful books to read. I pray that you and your family and staff will remain well during this sad time." Deb wrote this about winning THE SCENT KEEPER by Erica Bauermeister in our Winter Reading contest: “Thank you! It is a story that awakens the senses." Stephen King on NPR's "Fresh Air": He was interviewed by Terry Gross about the pandemic, and apologizes to people who feel like they are stuck in a Stephen King novel these days. You can listen to the interview here. "Unorthodox" on Netflix: I enjoyed this limited series and am now reading the book that it was based on. For those who enjoyed it, you may want to explore "Shtisel," also on Netflix. "Little Fires Everywhere": I need to catch up on the last two episodes. Dolly Parton Reading Bedtime Stories: She's reading them every Thursday night on YouTube. Watch her first episode here. Paul Simon and Edie Brickell: I enjoyed them singing the Everly Brothers song, “I Wonder If I Care As Much,” which clearly reflects the sentiment of many of us. I am wondering what we really will care about when this is over. I know I will care about books, authors and our readers! Pandemic Thought: Are the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny essential workers? "The Good Doctor": Here's a good piece about the season finale. "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness": Okay, I really regret the time I spent mindlessly watching seven episodes of this series, but if you liked it (I will not judge), another installment is dropping on Sunday. And if you are curious about the filming, here’s an interview with the producers. Supporting Indie Booksellers: It's in bold because as a small business owner, I know how tough business is right now. Here’s a page of resources about bookstores that is being updated constantly. There are many ideas there for shopping and donating. Here’s an idea: Pick a place you have wanted to travel to. Find a local bookseller in that area and buy a book. That page lists the stores that are still open and shipping. Every little bit helps! One book, or two, or three. YOU can make a real difference. Also, think about puzzles and board games. Greg, the Land Rover expert in our house, noted this a week or so ago (what are weeks these days?): “Land Rover has diverted their press fleet for the aborted Defender launch to the British Red Cross. Dozens of shiny new Defenders are on their way across the UK to help with coronavirus.” Since he would love to test drive one of these, I loved his reaction. We sat with Tom’s mom outdoors on her porch last Sunday six feet apart, so she had some company. We brought her some books, too. A quiet holiday weekend is on tap. I will pull out the bunny plates and use those for dinner on Sunday. I have a huge pile of knitting, and I think I can finish what I am calling the Corona Scarf this weekend and start on something else. We shall see! Also, my husband’s birthday is Thursday, and I need to plan how to make that day different from every other day! Happy Easter...Happy Passover…Happy Everything! Stay safe. Read on, and have a great week. Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)    Featured Review:  HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker (Science/Biography) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Featured Review: THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS  THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS by Lisa Wingate (Historical Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: BROKEN by Don Winslow  BROKEN by Don Winslow (Thriller) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review.  New Release Spotlight: THE ENGINEER’S WIFE  THE ENGINEER'S WIFE by Tracey Enerson Wood (Historical Fiction) Emily's fight for women's suffrage is put on hold and her life transformed when Wash, the Chief Engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, is injured on the job. Untrained for the task, but under his guidance, she assumes his role, despite stern resistance and overwhelming obstacles. Lines blur as Wash's vision becomes her own, and when he is unable to return to the job, Emily is consumed by it. But as the project takes shape under Emily's direction, she wonders whose legacy she is building --- hers or her husband's. As the monument rises, Emily's marriage, principles and identity threaten to collapse. When the bridge finally stands finished, will she recognize the woman who built it? Based on the true story of the Brooklyn Bridge, THE ENGINEER'S WIFE delivers an emotional portrait of a woman transformed by a project of unfathomable scale, which takes her into the bowels of the East River, suffragette riots, the halls of Manhattan's elite, and the heady, freewheeling temptations of P.T. Barnum. It's the story of a husband and wife determined to build something that lasts --- even at the risk of losing each other. - Click here to read an excerpt. Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.  New Paperback Spotlight:  THE GIRLS AT 17 SWANN STREET by Yara Zgheib (Fiction) Every bite causes anxiety. Every flavor induces guilt. And every step Anna takes toward recovery will require strength, endurance and the support of the girls at 17 Swann Street. Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.  Bookreporter.com's Ninth Annual Spring is in the air! We’ve caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases. Our ninth annual Spring Preview Contests and Feature spotlights many of these picks, which we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through April 24th at noon ET. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here. Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, April 13th at noon ET. This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details  Join Translator Ann Goldstein and Others for Europa Editions has launched “Our Brilliant Friends,” an after-dinner book club and watch party that meets every Monday at 9pm ET on Zoom, an hour before the HBO adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan quartet airs. Tickets will be sold for a suggested donation of $5, and all proceeds will benefit the #SaveIndieBookstores campaign, which was launched last week with the support of James Patterson, Reese’s Book Club, the American Booksellers Association, and the Book Industry Charitable Foundation. Events begin with a panel conversation among prominent Ferrante fans, followed by a brief reading by translator Ann Goldstein from Ferrante’s new novel, THE LYING LIFE OF ADULTS (which releases on September 1st). At 10pm ET, attendees are encouraged to stick around in the Zoom chat as they watch and react to the newest episode of "My Brilliant Friend" on HBO. For the April 13th event, Goldstein will be joined by Europa's Editor in Chief Michael Reynolds, writer and poet Alexander Chee, and writer and producer Sarah Treem ("The Affair"). Click here for more details and to sign up for the event.    April’s New in Paperback Roundups April's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes Lee Child's BLUE MOON, which finds Jack Reacher coming to the aid of an elderly couple…and confronting his most dangerous opponents yet; THE NIGHT FIRE by Michael Connelly, in which Harry Bosch and LAPD Detective Renée Ballard come together again on the murder case that obsessed Bosch's mentor, the man who trained him; MRS. EVERYTHING, Jennifer Weiner's novel that explores two sisters’ lives from the 1950s to the present as they struggle to find their places --- and be true to themselves --- in a rapidly evolving world; and ELEVATOR PITCH, an edge-of-your-seat thriller from Linwood Barclay 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. Among our nonfiction highlights are STONY THE ROAD, Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s profound new rendering of the struggle by African-Americans for equality after the Civil War and the violent counter-revolution that resubjugated them; AMERICAN MOONSHOT, a fresh look at the space program, President John F. Kennedy’s inspiring challenge, and America’s race to the moon from award-winning historian and perennial New York Times bestselling author Douglas Brinkley; THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR by true-crime writer John Glatt, which tells the devastating story of the Turpins --- a seemingly normal family whose dark secrets would shock and captivate the world; and BROADWAY, in which Fran Leadon takes us on a mile-by-mile journey up America’s most vibrant and complex thoroughfare, through the history at the heart of Manhattan. Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of   "Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts In late August 2019, we launched “Bookreporter Talks To,” a video and podcast series where we deliver a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, I have moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal --- to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.) You can find a list of all of them here. By the way, this follows a long history of The Book Report Network delivering compelling programming to readers. Back in 1997, the company hosted the first online interview with John Grisham, which started a tradition of ongoing interviews with authors. Here are our latest interviews:
Other authors interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
Watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews and listen to our podcasts.    More Reviews This WeekONE FATAL FLAW: A Daniel Pitt Novel by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery) REVENGE by James Patterson and Andrew Holmes (Thriller) HOW MUCH OF THESE HILLS IS GOLD by C Pam Zhang (Historical Fiction) GODSHOT by Chelsea Bieker (Fiction) WE RIDE UPON STICKS by Quan Barry (Fiction) THE SILENT TREATMENT by Abbie Greaves (Fiction) SIN EATER by Megan Campisi (Historical Fiction) THE LOST ORPHAN by Stacey Halls (Historical Fiction) PRIVILEGE by Mary Adkins (Fiction)   
Next Week’s Notables:
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