June 5, 2020
 June 5, 2020Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com Reviews | Features | Bookreporter.com Bets On | Upcoming Bets On     Last weekend, Carol read TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE by Meg Mitchell Moore, She is now reading and loving THE GIRL FROM WIDOW HILLS by Megan Miranda, Carol's husband Tom, who is an amateur race car driver and a car enthusiast, read and  THE DESERTER, a Bets On pick, is now available in paperback, so we thought it would be fun to revisit Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille from last year.  We also revisit Carol's interview with Beatriz Williams, whose 2019 novel, THE GOLDEN HOUR, Positive Testing…and What I Am Back in late March, I was not feeling well for a couple of weeks. It felt like I could have had COVID-19, but I did not have “all the right symptoms,” so I could not get tested. But the more I read over these last few months as new symptoms were discussed, the more I was sure that I had it. I took an antibody test on Wednesday, and the results came in this morning. I tested positive for antibodies, which means I did have it when I thought I did. I got sick on March 14th, the day I was scheduled to be in Tucson for the Tucson Festival of Books. If those plans had gone ahead, how many people might I have unknowingly exposed to the virus? While I definitely was more sick than I have been in years during those two weeks, I was still working during the day, and then crashing on the couch at night. During the time I was sick, I interviewed Harlan Coben, Therese Anne Fowler and Kate Elizabeth Russell via Zoom, and watching those videos I definitely looked peaked. I felt better by March 30th. I am sharing this as I know there are many faces of this disease. I am certain that there are many, like me, who have had it, but were not sure at the time. My son and my husband are going to get tested as well. I have been told that immunity is not forever at this point, but at least for a few months. The way that news about COVID-19 changes all the time, we have to wait and see. For the moment, though, I am exhaling a bit here. And looking into donating plasma. Last weekend, I read TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE by Meg Mitchell Moore, which is on sale June 16th and will be a Summer Reading prize. Last summer I enjoyed her book, THE ISLANDERS, and it was a Bets On selection. This one will be as well. It’s a brisk read set in the beach town of Newburyport, MA, and I loved getting to know more about that area. It’s written from various points of view, including sections from the Mom Squad, a clique of moms who seem to be stuck in high school mode. A woman shows up in town with her daughter, and her past is rather murky. Who is she, and what is she hiding? It’s a real beach escape read! I just started THE GIRL FROM WIDOW HILLS by Megan Miranda, which releases on June 23rd. I am not far into it, but it has grabbed me in a very unexpected way. The protagonist’s name is Arden Maynor. I always loved the name Arden. If I had a daughter, I was going to name her Arden Alexandra. In this book, Arden was six when she was swept away in a rainstorm. She was found alive and became a celebrity for it. She’s moved and changed her name, but as the 20th anniversary of the event approaches, interest in what happened is renewed. I am looking forward to plunking myself down on a lounger this weekend and reading it! My husband, who is an amateur race car driver as well as a car enthusiast, read Neal Bascomb's FASTER: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best and thoroughly enjoyed it. He knew nothing about this story, but found it to be a fascinating read. We reviewed it back in March. Bascomb sent 6,000 specially designed and signed bookplates to 1,200 indie stores around the country. This is such a smart way to get signed books into readers’ hands when touring is not an option. And now to this week’s update… Emily Giffin, whose internationally bestselling novels include ALL WE EVER WANTED and SOMETHING BORROWED, is back with her latest effort, THE LIES THAT BIND, in which a young woman falls hard for an impossibly perfect man before he disappears without a trace. Norah Piehl has our review and says, "Its surprising --- and possibly controversial --- ending, which I obviously won’t reveal here, is only the last in a series of plot twists that will leave readers eager to discuss and debate." She adds, “Readers may or may not agree with [Cecily’s] ultimate choices, but they certainly won’t be bored by the journey she takes to get there." Brit Bennett follows up her bestselling debut novel, THE MOTHERS, with her much-talked-about second book, THE VANISHING HALF, which is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club selection and the “Good Morning America” Book Club pick. In it, twin sisters who were inseparable as children ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds --- one black and one white. According to Norah Piehl, "The sisters’ journey is by turns triumphant, painful, joyful and strange --- and readers will come away deeply affected by what their parallel stories reveal about human identity and race in America." On Tuesday, July 7th at 7pm ET, B&N will host a Facebook Live discussion of THE VANISHING HALF with the author. Please note that this week’s discussion of their May pick, ALL ADULTS HERE --- featuring Emma Straub in conversation with Elizabeth Gilbert --- was postponed due to recent events. We will let you know the new date as soon as it is rescheduled. Other books we’re reviewing this week include HUSH by James Patterson and Candice Fox, which finds former cop Harriet Blue in prison --- but even that won't stop her from seeking justice for the murder of her brother; WRATH OF POSEIDON, a new Sam and Remi Fargo thriller from the late Clive Cussler (co-written with Robin Burcell), in which the husband-and-wife team comes up against an old enemy while searching for a treasure that has been lost for centuries; and MRS. LINCOLN’S SISTERS, in which Jennifer Chiaverini returns to her most famous heroine, Mary Todd Lincoln, in a compelling story of love, loss and sisterhood. MRS. LINCOLN’S SISTERS is one of our current Word of Mouth prizes; the other is DANCE AWAY WITH ME by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, which we will review next week. Let us know by Friday, June 12th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these novels. My latest Bets On pick is Mikel Jollett’s memoir, HOLLYWOOD PARK, which we reviewed last week. Click here for my commentary. If you missed my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Mikel, you can watch the video here and listen to the podcast here. Also, you can see him on "CBS This Morning" here. Continuing from last week is our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest for Julie Clark’s upcoming psychological thriller, THE LAST FLIGHT, which releases on June 23rd and will be a Bets On pick. Here we have the story of two women, both of whom are alone and scared, and the agonizing, last-minute decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives. We’re awarding 25 readers a copy of the book and asking them to provide us with their feedback on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 11th at noon ET. I’m excited to talk to Julie soon for a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview; her book is so well plotted and action-packed! In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away the aforementioned THE LIES THAT BIND by Emily Giffin, along with THE BLACK SWAN OF PARIS by Karen Robards, EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER by Linda Holmes, and THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley (which we plan to review next week). Next week’s prizes will be THE BEAUTY OF BROKEN THINGS by Victoria Connelly (which we also have lined up to review next week), FINDING MRS. FORD by Deborah Goodrich Royce, and THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger (which is now in paperback). The first contest of the week will kick off on Monday, June 8th at noon ET. There is still plenty of time to enter our Father’s Day contest, where five winners will receive all six of our featured titles for themselves or their dads. Among them are THE NEW ONE: Painfully True Stories from a Reluctant Dad by Mike Birbiglia and FACTFULNESS: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World --- and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund. Be sure to fill out this form by Monday, June 22nd at noon ET. Our New in Paperback roundups for June are now available. We're featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as John Grisham (THE GUARDIANS), Colson Whitehead (THE NICKEL BOYS, the winner of this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Fiction), David Baldacci (A MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT), Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille (THE DESERTER), Louise Penny (A BETTER MAN), and Beatriz Williams (THE GOLDEN HOUR); nonfiction titles, including a newly updated edition of CATCH AND KILL: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow, ORDINARY GIRLS: A Memoir by Jaquira Díaz, and AMERICAN PREDATOR: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century by Maureen Callahan; and paperback originals like LOVE & OTHER CRIMES: Stories by Sara Paretsky, THE SWAP by Robyn Harding, and LOCKDOWN: Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic edited by Nick Kolakowski and Steve Weddle. Two of these paperbacks, THE DESERTER and THE GOLDEN HOUR, were Bets On selections. I had the pleasure of chatting with the authors of these books last year --- Nelson DeMille and his son, Alex DeMille, and Beatriz Williams --- so we thought now would be a perfect time to revisit their "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews. Above you can find the video and podcast links for each segment. For these and many more interviews, please check out our “Videos & Podcasts” page. We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. June's roundup includes the highly anticipated film Artemis Fowl on Disney+; the series premieres of "The Woods" on Netflix and "I'll Be Gone in the Dark" on HBO; the conclusion of HBO's "I Know This Much Is True" and NatGeo's "Barkskins"; the season two premiere of "NOS4A2" on AMC; and the DVD releases of The Hunt and Three Christs. The first week of the month means a brand new Sounding Off on Audio contest --- and this month’s prizes are ones that you won’t want to miss. By submitting your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to, you’ll have a chance to win the audio versions of Megan Miranda's THE GIRL FROM WIDOW HILLS, read by Rebekkah Ross, and Beatriz Williams' HER LAST FLIGHT, read by Cassandra Campbell. The deadline for your entries is Wednesday, July 1st at noon ET. We will feature our reviews of the print versions of these books in the next few weeks. Our poll continues to ask which genres best describe the book that you most recently read or listened to. Let us know by clicking here. In addition to THE VANISHING HALF, here are some of this month’s other recently announced book club picks:
For more June selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here. News and Pop Culture: "Defending Jacob" on Apple TV+: I watched the season finale last Friday night, and it was different from the book's ending. I liked the latter better! "Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich" on Netflix: I watched this four-part miniseries about Epstein, and it is very well done. There is a book out by Bradley J. Edwards, who represented more than 20 of Epstein’s victims. It’s called RELENTLESS PURSUIT: My Fight for the Victims of Jeffrey Epstein. Watching how far and wide this story went makes one realize that harnessing the case was not going to be easy. My weekend is going to be very exciting. We had a dumpster delivered yesterday, and every time I look at it, I smile. I am looking forward to doing some very heavy-duty cleaning out around here. There are many “mementos” that have been collected through the years that clearly do not need to live here any more! The planting is all done, except for more of the ridiculous number of seeds that I bought. I have to think about where those go. I have a new idea to plant zinnias at the end of the driveway as I read that they are deer-resistant. I will let you know if they are REALLY deer-resistant soon. Stay safe, and stay well. Read on, and have a great week. Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)    Featured Review: THE LIES THAT BIND by Emily Giffin  THE LIES THAT BIND by Emily Giffin (Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett  THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett (Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review.  Bookreporter.com Bets On:  HOLLYWOOD PARK: A Memoir by Mikel Jollett (Memoir) As a young child, Mikel lived in what started as a commune in California that later devolved into a cult called the Church of Synanon. I confess to being riveted to the behavior that happens in a group like this, but I knew little about Synanon as I started reading. The book opens with writing in a childlike voice as Mikel describes what surrounds him, and while he looks in wonder, we look in horror as we know that life in the cult is not a typical child’s world. After his mother takes him from the kids-only camp to bring them to a better life, he rapidly sees how sheltered and dysfunctional his life has been. His dad is a recovering addict, who has been absent for his early years; his mother is clinically depressed, hopelessly narcissistic and hugely lost. He and his older brother trip, stumble and fend for themselves for most of their early years. And then Mikel pulls himself up and points his life in a new direction, later graduating from Stanford. So much love and so much dysfunction infuse the story. Mikel rose above a lot, but still has such tenderness for what has happened along the way. - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.  Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest:  For fans of Lisa Jewell and Liv Constantine, THE LAST FLIGHT by Julie Clark is the story of two women --- both alone, both scared --- and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives. We have 25 copies to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on June 23rd and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 11th at noon ET. THE LAST FLIGHT by Julie Clark (Psychological Thriller) A chance meeting in an airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets --- Claire taking Eva's flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. They believe the swap will give each of them the head start they need to begin again somewhere far away. But when the flight to Puerto Rico goes down, Claire realizes it's no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva's identity and, along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden. - Click here to read an excerpt. Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Bookreporter.com's 15th Annual  Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and loved us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? In our 15th annual "Best Books for Dad" contest, we have a selection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for Dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five readers will be awarded a copy of each of our six featured titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, June 22nd at noon ET. This year's prize books are:
Click here to enter the contest.  Bookreporter.com's 16th Annual Summer will be here before you know it! 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 the end of August, 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 8th at noon ET. This year’s prize books include:
Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.    June’s New in Paperback Roundups June's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes THE GUARDIANS, a legal thriller from John Grisham but with a twist --- as a man who was convicted of murdering his lawyer but maintains his innocence turns to Guardian Ministries, a small nonprofit run by Cullen Post, a lawyer who travels the country fighting wrongful convictions and taking on clients forgotten by the system; THE NICKEL BOYS, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, who follows up his Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning bestseller THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD with the story of two boys who are sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida; David Baldacci's A MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT, which finds FBI Agent Atlee Pine returning to her Georgia hometown to investigate her twin sister's abduction, only to encounter a serial killer; and THE DESERTER by Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille, a blistering thriller featuring a brilliant and unorthodox Army investigator, his enigmatic female partner, and their hunt for the Army’s most notorious --- and dangerous --- deserter. Among our nonfiction highlights are a newly updated edition of CATCH AND KILL, in which Ronan Farrow exposes serial abusers and a cabal of powerful interests hell-bent on covering up the truth, at any cost --- from Hollywood to Washington and beyond; ORDINARY GIRLS, a searing memoir from Jaquira Díaz, who writes fiercely and eloquently of her challenging girlhood and triumphant coming of age; AMERICAN PREDATOR, in which journalist Maureen Callahan takes us on a journey into the chilling, nightmarish mind of a relentless killer, and to the limitations of traditional law enforcement; THE PLAZA, journalist Julie Satow's thrilling history of how one illustrious hotel has defined our understanding of money and glamour, from the Gilded Age to the Go-Go Eighties to today's Billionaire Row; and Clay Risen's THE CROWDED HOUR, the dramatic story of the most famous regiment in American history --- the Rough Riders, a motley group of soldiers led by Theodore Roosevelt, whose daring exploits marked the beginning of American imperialism in the 20th century. Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of    June’s Books on Screen Feature Here is a preview of this month's films, TV shows and DVDs that are based on books. For a complete list of June's offerings, please click here.
Artemis Fowl
"The Woods" "I'll Be Gone in the Dark"
"Barkskins" (8-episode limited series) "I Know This Much Is True" (6-part limited series)
The Hunt   "Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts “Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has 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 is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.) Here is our latest interview: Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
Click here for a complete list of our    More Reviews This WeekHUSH by James Patterson and Candice Fox (Thriller) WRATH OF POSEIDON: A Sam and Remi Fargo Adventure by Clive Cussler and Robin Burcell (Thriller/Adventure) MRS. LINCOLN'S SISTERS by Jennifer Chiaverini (Historical Fiction) THE HOUSE GUEST by Mark Edwards (Psychological Thriller) RED DRESS IN BLACK AND WHITE by Elliot Ackerman (Fiction) MINOR DRAMA & OTHER CATASTROPHES by Kathleen West (Fiction) HOT LEAD, COLD JUSTICE: A Caleb York Western by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins (Western) WORSE ANGELS: An Isaiah Coleridge Novel by Laird Barron (Mystery/Thriller) THE SUNDAY GIRL by Pip Drysdale (Psychological Thriller) BROKEN GENIUS: A Will Parker Thriller by Drew Murray (Technothriller)   
Next Week’s Notables:
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