August 28, 2020

August 28, 2020

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Latest Update on Our GoFundMe Campaign

Thank you to those of you who have donated to our GoFundMe campaign. So far, with online and snail mail donations, we have raised $35,650 of our $50,000 goal.

You can read about our plans and donate here. If you would prefer donating via check, please send to:

The Book Report, Inc.
16 Mt. Bethel Road, Suite 365
Warren, NJ 07059

Thank you again for your consideration and your donation.

On Thursday, we celebrated Bookreporter's 24th anniversary with a special "Bookaccino Live."
We were joined by nine of our longtime reviewers, and each shared
a few of their favorite summer reads. Above is a "Brady Bunch"-style photo of everyone.
Click on it to watch the presentation and here to listen to the podcast.
You also can see a list of the featured titles here.

First row: Carol Fitzgerald, Austin Ruh, Katherine B. Weissman, Tom Donadio
Second row: Joe Hartlaub, Stuart Shiffman, Harvey Freedenberg, Ron Kaplan
Third row: Ray Palen, Eileen Zimmerman Nicol, Sarah Rachel Egelman, Norah Piehl

Carol's latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview is with Christina Baker Kline,
whose new novel, THE EXILES, will be a Bets On pick.
Click on the image above for the video and here for the podcast.

On Saturday, August 29th, please join Independent Bookstore Day
and their 600+ local bookstores around the country for a full day of virtual author events.
Click on the image above to visit their website and celebrate this important day
for indie stores, especially during these very challenging times.

Carol has a lot of reading, swimming and floating planned for next week
as we take our annual summer break.

Carol made Ina Garten's Summer Garden Pasta dish and thought it was fabulous.
Click on the picture above for the recipe.

Happy 24th Anniversary to Bookreporter.com!

Last night, we hosted a very special and FUN “Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books” event. To celebrate the 24th anniversary of Bookreporter, nine of our longtime reviewers --- Sarah Rachel Egelman, Harvey Freedenberg, Joe Hartlaub, Ron Kaplan, Eileen Zimmerman Nicol, Ray Palen, Norah Piehl, Stuart Shiffman and Katherine B. Weissman --- shared books with us that they enjoyed reading over the summer. Their selections cover a wide variety of genres, and there may be a few titles here that you didn’t have on your radar that you will want to check out. We had 260 readers in attendance; they were from 37 states…and one lived in Argentina!

If you missed the event, click here to watch the full presentation and here to listen to the podcast. And a list of all the featured titles are here. Above you can see me with Tom Donadio, our Editorial Director; Austin Ruh, our Media Producer; and all nine reviewers as we appeared on Zoom, “Brady Bunch”-style. And as you can see in the video, I celebrated with a Blue Margarita…the same kind of drink we toasted 10 years with!

We thank ALL of you as we celebrate this milestone. Without you reading every week, we would not be able to do what we love. To help us celebrate, may we ask you to share this newsletter with your friends and colleagues who are readers?

Huge thanks to Tom, who matches the right reviewer to every book and does a brilliant job of managing every single detail of what you see in the newsletter and on the site. Tom does not miss a beat! If you have a moment, please drop him a note to thank him. To Austin, many thanks for all he has done to bring our video and audio content to you with our weekly "Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts, as well as our “Bookaccino Live” programming. You can drop him a note to thank him here. Melanie oversees our Word of Mouth and Sounding Off on Audio contests, and she too is completely on top of her game, reviewing all of your submissions. We so appreciate her!

Please don’t miss our next “Bookaccino Live” event, which will take place on Wednesday, September 16th at 2pm ET. I will present books that are releasing between September 15th and October 6th, along with five titles from November, that I am especially excited about. Click here to sign up for the event.

The fact that so many states were represented in our audience last night --- not to mention another country --- got us curious about where our readers are from. Which leads to our latest poll question: Where do you currently live? Let us know by clicking here. We pride ourselves that we reach readers across the country and not just the two coasts.

In our previous poll, we wanted to know what reading goals, if any, you currently have set for yourself. Here are your top five: Spend more time reading (46%), Read more print books (44%), Read more different authors (41%), Read more e-books (25%), Read new genres (25%). Click here for all the results.

My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Christina Baker Kline, whose newly released novel is THE EXILES, which is set in Australia in the early 19th century when the country was known for being a penal colony. Three young women are brought together to tell this story. When Evangeline, a young governess in London, is discovered to be pregnant, she is first sent to a notorious prison and then is given a 14-year sentence in Australia. On the ship sailing to this remote land, she meets Hazel, who is sentenced for stealing a silver spoon. The third woman, Mathinna, is native to Tasmania and is seen as a pet project for a wealthy couple. The novel’s structure gives light to multiple perspectives and brings this piece of history to readers who may know little about it.

In the interview, we talked about the challenges of researching this part of history and Christina’s extensive reading and travel for the book. I mentioned one of the most interesting turns that I have ever seen in a novel, and we discussed it in very guarded terms so we wouldn’t give anything away. The book is multilayered, and I hope that our conversation gives it even more dimension for readers as they hear about the inspiration that led to the writing of it. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.

We also are featuring our review of the book this week. According to Bronwyn Miller, “Kline’s impeccable research adds great import to the already moving story of three women, all of whom are exiles navigating the turbulent waters of their newfound circumstances.” She calls it “a riveting tale that will keep readers breathlessly hurtling toward the heart-rending conclusion.” THE EXILES will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick; you can read my commentary in the September 11th newsletter.

In Sandra Brown’s latest thriller, THICK AS THIEVES, a woman uncovers lifelong secrets as she searches for the truth behind her father's involvement in a heist gone wrong. Hillary Wagy has our review and calls it “a dynamic page-turner” and “one of Sandra Brown’s best novels.” She adds, “Brown reveals all of the riveting details with vivid, captivating suspense anticipated by her fans worldwide” and “craftily weaves the reader through a cast of characters who all have secrets surrounding that fateful night.” I am reading this now, and once again Sandra has nailed it; she is my "float in the pool read” every summer, and I look forward to finishing it next week!

The audio edition of THICK AS THIEVES, read by Kyf Brewer, is one of this month’s Sounding Off on Audio prizes; the other is Emma Donoghue's THE PULL OF THE STARS, read by Emma Lowe. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to by Tuesday, September 8th at noon ET, and you’ll have the opportunity to win both these audio titles.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham’s portrait of the late civil rights icon and U.S. congressman John Lewis, linking his life to the painful quest for justice in America from the 1950s to the present; SQUEEZE ME, Carl Hiaasen’s new novel of social and political intrigue, set against the glittering backdrop of Florida's gold coast; SUMMER, the conclusion to Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet; and THE SOCRATES EXPRESS, which finds Eric Weiner (the bestselling author of THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS) following in the footsteps of history’s greatest thinkers and showing us how each --- from Epicurus to Gandhi, Thoreau to Beauvoir --- offers practical and spiritual lessons for today’s unsettled times. Here are two terrific podcast interviews with Eric: one on NPR and another with travel writer Rick Steves.

WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS by Andrew David MacDonald is the latest title we’re featuring in our Paperback Spotlight. Zelda has a lot of things going for her: she has her first real job, a boyfriend who she just French-kissed, and is ready to forge her own destiny. While she may seem like your average 21-year-old woman, she longs to be a real-life Viking hero. On the fetal alcohol spectrum, Zelda sees the world a little differently. Prepare to fall in love with Zelda as she embarks on a quest of independence. We featured the book earlier this year when it released in hardcover. Click here for our review and here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com. Zelda is such a wonderful character; she has stayed with me since I read this book in hardcover. She sees life differently, and it makes her one very powerful character.

We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, September 11th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win two highly anticipated titles releasing on September 1st: ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE, the 16th installment in Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series, and THE LYING LIFE OF ADULTS, Elena Ferrante’s new novel set in a divided Naples, which is sure to be one of the biggest books of the year. We plan to feature reviews of both in the September 11th newsletter.

Saturday, August 29th is Independent Bookstore Day. The past few months have taken a toll on these small businesses. We hope that you, like us, will celebrate them by buying books from indie stores this weekend. You can see how to join in the celebration here.

News & Pop Culture:

The Banker on Apple TV+: I watched this last Friday night; it's a very well-done film about two of the first African-American bankers in the United States.

“The Stand” on CBS All Access: Stephen King’s 1978 novel will be adapted into a limited series that will premiere on December 17th. The star-studded cast includes Whoopi Goldberg, Alexander Skarsgård, James Marsden, Odessa Young, Jovan Adepo and Amber Heard.

Summer Garden Pasta: Here's a great recipe from Ina Garten for a fabulous pasta dish.

Netflix: I know many of you love watching programming on Netflix. I learned this week that Netflix's iconic "ta-dum" intro almost sounded very different. Read about its origin here! It’s like that signature phrase “You’ve got mail” that many of you remember from AOL.

I learned a big lesson last Thursday. When you touch poison ivy, it’s a good idea to change your clothes, as well as wash your hands and the other things that touched it. I learned that the hard way. Clearly some of the urushiol oil that is in the plant got onto my shirt, and then I rubbed my arms up against it. I can see exactly where I did that. I have the poison ivy to prove it. Not fun. I did find a great product called Zanfel that helped enormously, but I have a lot more healing to go. Yes, this is a real drag.

We are going to take our annual summer hiatus next week so the staff can exhale a bit. The past few months have been very, very busy, and we all need a break. As you can see above, I have a tall stack of books that I am looking forward to reading. In our next newsletter, I will report back on what I read! I also am vowing to swim every day, and to perhaps hit the beach and maybe find a river to kayak. I'll let you know what actually happens! 

We’ll see you again in September. Read on, and have a great TWO weeks.

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: THICK AS THIEVES by Sandra Brown

THICK AS THIEVES by Sandra Brown (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kyf Brewer
Twenty years ago in the dead of night, four seemingly random individuals pulled the ultimate heist and almost walked away with half a million dollars. But by daybreak, one of them was in the hospital, one was in jail, one was dead, and one got away with it. Arden Maxwell, the daughter of the man who disappeared all those years ago, has never reconciled with her father's abandonment of her and her sister. After countless personal setbacks, she decides to return to her family home near mysterious Caddo Lake and finally get answers to the many questions that torment her. Little does she know that two of her father's co-conspirators --- a war hero and a corrupt district attorney --- are watching her every move. Reviewed by Hillary Wagy.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: THE EXILES by Christina Baker Kline
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

THE EXILES by Christina Baker Kline (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Caroline Lee
Seduced by her employer’s son, Evangeline, a naïve young governess in early 19th-century London, is discharged when her pregnancy is discovered and sent to the notorious Newgate Prison. Months later, she is sentenced to Van Diemen’s Land, a penal colony in Australia. During the journey on a repurposed slave ship, the Medea, Evangeline strikes up a friendship with Hazel, who was sentenced to seven years transport for stealing a silver spoon. Though Australia has been home to Aboriginal people for more than 50,000 years, the British government considers its fledgling colony uninhabited and unsettled. By the time the Medea arrives, many of them have been forcibly relocated, including Mathinna, who has been adopted by the new governor of Van Diemen’s Land. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Christina Baker Kline.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.

Click here to read our review.

THE EXILES will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in the September 11th newsletter.

Featured Review: HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON
by Jon Meacham

HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON: John Lewis and the Power of Hope by Jon Meacham (Biography)
Audiobook available; read by JD Jackson, with a note by Jon Meacham
John Lewis, who at age 25 marched in Selma, Alabama, and was beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, was a visionary and a man of faith. Drawing on decades of wide-ranging interviews with Lewis, Jon Meacham writes of how this great-grandson of a slave and son of an Alabama tenant farmer was inspired by the Bible and his teachers in nonviolence, Reverend James Lawson and Martin Luther King, Jr., to put his life on the line in the service of what Abraham Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature.” A believer in the injunction that one should love one's neighbor as oneself, Lewis was arguably a saint in our time, risking limb and life to bear witness for the powerless in the face of the powerful. Reviewed by Jack Kramer.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read our review.

New Paperback Spotlight: WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS
by Andrew David MacDonald

WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS by Andrew David MacDonald (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Phoebe Strole
For Zelda, a 21-year-old Viking enthusiast who lives with her older brother, Gert, life is best lived with some basic rules:

1. A smile means “thank you for doing something small that I liked.”
2. Fist bumps and dabs = respect.
3. Strange people are not appreciated in her home.
4. Tomatoes must go in the middle of the sandwich and not get the bread wet.
5. Sometimes the most important things don’t fit on lists.

But when Zelda finds out that Gert has resorted to some questionable --- and dangerous --- methods to make enough money to keep them afloat, Zelda decides to launch her own quest. Her mission: to be legendary. It isn’t long before Zelda finds herself in a battle that tests the reach of her heroism, her love for her brother, and the depth of her Viking strength.

“A most welcome and wonderful debut” (Tyrell Johnson, author of THE WOLVES OF WINTER), WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS is an uplifting debut about an unlikely heroine whose journey will leave you wanting to embark on a quest of your own...because, after all, we are all legends of our own making.

- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read Andrew David MacDonald's bio.
- Click here to visit Andrew David MacDonald's website.

Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.

Featured Review: SQUEEZE ME by Carl Hiaasen

SQUEEZE ME by Carl Hiaasen (Mystery/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Brick
It's the height of the Palm Beach charity ball season. But when a prominent high-society dowager suddenly vanishes during a swank gala, and is later found dead in a concrete grave, panic and chaos erupt. Kiki Pew was notable not just for her wealth and her jewels, she was an ardent fan of the Winter White House resident just down the road, and a founding member of the POTUSSIES, a group of women dedicated to supporting their President. Never one to miss an opportunity to play to his base, the President immediately declares that Kiki was the victim of rampaging immigrant hordes. This, it turns out, is far from the truth. The truth might just lie in the middle of the highway, where a bizarre discovery brings the First Lady's motorcade to a grinding halt. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: THE SOCRATES EXPRESS
by Eric Weiner

THE SOCRATES EXPRESS: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers by Eric Weiner (Philosophy/Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Eric Weiner
We turn to philosophy for the same reasons we travel: to see the world from a different perspective, to unearth hidden beauty, and to find new ways of being. We want to learn how to embrace wonder. Face regrets. Sustain hope. Eric Weiner combines his twin passions for philosophy and global travel in a pilgrimage that uncovers surprising life lessons from great thinkers around the world, from Rousseau to Nietzsche, Confucius to Simone Weil. Traveling by train (the most thoughtful mode of transport), he journeys thousands of miles, making stops in Athens, Delhi, Wyoming, Coney Island, Frankfurt and points in between to reconnect with philosophy’s original purpose: teaching us how to lead wiser, more meaningful lives. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to visit Eric Weiner's website.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: SUMMER by Ali Smith

SUMMER by Ali Smith (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Juliette Burton
In the present, Sacha knows the world is in trouble. Her brother, Robert, just is trouble. Their mother and father are having trouble. Meanwhile, the world is in meltdown --- and the real meltdown hasn’t even started yet. In the past, a lovely summer. A different brother and sister know they’re living on borrowed time. This is a story about people on the brink of change. They’re family, but they think they’re strangers. So: Where does family begin? And what do people who think they have nothing in common have in common? Summer. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read our review.

Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight:
BEFORE SHE WAS HELEN by Caroline B. Cooney
On Sale September 8th

BEFORE SHE WAS HELEN by Caroline B. Cooney (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
When Clemmie goes next door to check on her difficult and unlikable neighbor, Dom, he isn't there. But something else is. Something stunning, beautiful and inexplicable. Clemmie photographs the wondrous object on her cell phone and makes the irrevocable error of forwarding it. As the picture swirls over the internet, Clemmie tries desperately to keep a grip on her own personal network of secrets. Can 50 years of careful hiding under names not her own be ruined by one careless picture?

And although what Clemmie finds is a work of art, what the police find is a body...and she was the last person at the crime scene, where she left her fingerprints. Suddenly thrown into the heart of a twisted investigation, Clemmie finds herself the uncomfortable subject of intense scrutiny. And the bland, quiet life Clemmie has built for herself in her sleepy South Carolina retirement community comes crashing down as her dark past surges into the present.

- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Caroline B. Cooney's bio.
- Click here to visit Caroline B. Cooney's website.
- Connect with Caroline B. Cooney on Facebook and Pinterest.

Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.

BEFORE SHE WAS HELEN releases on September 8th.
Don't miss our review of the book and our interview with the author
in the September 11th newsletter.

Bookreporter.com's 16th Annual Summer Reading Feature

All summer long, we at Bookreporter.com have been sharing some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Feature. While our series of 24-hour contests have ended, we encourage you to take a look at our featured titles for some sizzling summer reading ideas.

This year’s featured titles are:

• ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane
• THE BEAUTY OF BROKEN THINGS by Victoria Connelly
• BIG SUMMER by Jennifer Weiner
• THE BLACK SWAN OF PARIS by Karen Robards
• THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES by Kristin Harmel
• EAST COAST GIRLS by Kerry Kletter  
• EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER by Linda Holmes
• FINDING MRS. FORD by Deborah Goodrich Royce
• GHOSTS OF HARVARD by Francesca Serritella
• THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah
• THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley
• HER LAST FLIGHT by Beatriz Williams
• HIDEAWAY by Nora Roberts
• HIS & HERS by Alice Feeney
• HOLLYWOOD PARK: A Memoir by Mikel Jollett
• THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN by Lisa See
• THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY by Natalie Jenner
• THE LAST FLIGHT by Julie Clark
• THE LIES THAT BIND by Emily Giffin
• THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP by Susan Wiggs
• MY DARK VANESSA by Kate Elizabeth Russell
• ONE YEAR OF UGLY by Caroline Mackenzie
• THE SILENT WIFE by Karin Slaughter
• THE SWAP by Robyn Harding
• THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger
• THE TURN OF THE KEY by Ruth Ware
• TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE by Meg Mitchell Moore
• A WALK ALONG THE BEACH by Debbie Macomber
• THE WOMAN BEFORE WALLIS: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal by Bryn Turnbull

- Click here to see the winners of this year's Summer Reading contests.

Click here to learn more about our featured titles.

From left to right: Ruth Ware, M.O. Walsh, Louise Penny

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

As so many book and author events are happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.

Now through Saturday, September 5th: Ray Bradbury Centennial Read-A-Thon: This virtual Read-A-Thon of Ray Bradbury's FAHRENHEIT 451 brings together people from across the country --- including Neil Gaiman, Susan Orlean, Marlon James and William Shatner --- to honor Bradbury on the 100th anniversary of his birth. The Read-A-Thon premiered on August 22nd, his centennial, and will be available online through September 5th. 

Saturday, August 29th at 7:30pm ET: Murder By The Book Virtual Event: Murder By The Book presents an all-star virtual event with New York Times bestselling authors James Lee Burke and Stephen King. Burke will discuss his new book and latest installment in the Dave Robicheaux series, A PRIVATE CATHEDRAL.

Tuesday, September 1st at 5pm ET: Politics & Prose Live!: Louise Penny will discuss the newest installment in her Chief Inspector Gamache series, ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE, with moderator Hillary Clinton.

Tuesday, September 1st at 8pm ET: PEN Out Loud: Bestselling author Yaa Gyasi joins PEN Out Loud to celebrate the publication of her new novel, TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM. She will be joined in conversation with bestselling author Roxane Gay.

Wednesday, September 2nd at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": Every Wednesday, Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe talk books and writing on their "Friends and Fiction" Facebook group page. Their special guest will be Etaf Rum, author of A WOMAN IS NO MAN.

Wednesday, September 2nd at 7pm ET: Warwick's Virtual Event: Warwick's will host Christina Baker Kline, in conversation with Kristin Hannah, as she discusses her new book, THE EXILES.

Tuesday, September 8th at 7pm ET: Barnes & Noble Virtual Book Club Event: Barnes & Noble will host a Facebook Live discussion for their August book club pick, THE PULL OF THE STARS, featuring author Emma Donoghue.

Wednesday, September 9th at 1pm ET: Lemuria Bookstore Virtual Event: M.O. Walsh,  the New York Times bestselling author of MY SUNSHINE AWAY, will discuss his new book, THE BIG DOOR PRIZE, with author Katy Simpson Smith.

Wednesday, September 9th at 5pm ET: Midtown Scholar Bookstore Virtual Event: Join #1 New York Times bestselling authors Fredrik Backman and Ruth Ware for an exclusive live-stream conversation about their new novels, ANXIOUS PEOPLE and ONE BY ONE. They will be interviewed by bestselling author Wendy Walker, whose upcoming thriller is DON'T LOOK FOR ME.

Wednesday, September 9th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": Every Wednesday, Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe talk books and writing on their "Friends and Fiction" Facebook group page. Their special guest will be Emily Giffin, whose latest novel is THE LIES THAT BIND.

Thursday, September 10th at 6pm ET: Hudson Library & Historical Society Virtual Event: Hudson Library will host a live virtual streaming event with Ruth Ware to discuss her latest book, ONE BY ONE, with Shari Lapena, author of THE END OF HER.

Thursday, September 10th at 10pm ET: Changing Hands Book Store Virtual Event: Heather Cabot will be in conversation with "PBS NewsHour" reporter Stephanie Sy about her new book, THE NEW CHARDONNAY: The Unlikely Story of How Marijuana Went Mainstream.

 "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:

• Christina Baker Kline (THE EXILES) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Finola Austin (BRONTË’S MISTRESS) Video | Podcast
• Rachel Beanland (FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER) Video | Podcast
• Julie Clark (THE LAST FLIGHT) Video | Podcast
• Fiona Davis (THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE) Video | Podcast
• Alice Feeney (HIS & HERS) Video | Podcast
• Alex George (THE PARIS HOURS) Video | Podcast
• Bruce Holsinger (THE GIFTED SCHOOL) Video | Podcast
• Mikel Jollett (HOLLYWOOD PARK: A Memoir) Video | Podcast
• Jill McCorkle (HIEROGLYPHICS) Video | Podcast
• Megan Miranda (THE GIRL FROM WIDOW HILLS) Video | Podcast
• Meg Mitchell Moore (TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE) Video | Podcast
• Stephanie Scott (WHAT'S LEFT OF ME IS YOURS) Video | Podcast
• Emma Straub (ALL ADULTS HERE) Video | Podcast
• Scott Turow (THE LAST TRIAL) Video | Podcast
• Jennifer Weiner (BIG SUMMER) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Robert Dugoni (THE LAST AGENT)
• Ruth Ware (ONE BY ONE)

Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.

More Reviews This Week

WINTER COUNTS by David Heska Wanbli Weiden (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Darrell Dennis
Virgil Wounded Horse is the local enforcer on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. When justice is denied by the American legal system or the tribal council, Virgil is hired to deliver his own punishment. But when heroin makes its way into the reservation and finds Virgil’s nephew, his vigilantism suddenly becomes personal. He enlists the help of his ex-girlfriend and sets out to learn where the drugs are coming from, and how to make them stop. They follow a lead to Denver and find that drug cartels are rapidly expanding and forming new and terrifying alliances. And back on the reservation, a new tribal council initiative raises uncomfortable questions about money and power. As Virgil starts to link the pieces together, he must face his own demons and reclaim his Native identity. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

SISTERS by Daisy Johnson (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anna Koval
Born just 10 months apart, July and September are thick as thieves, never needing anyone but each other. Now, following a case of school bullying, the teens have moved away with their single mother to a long-abandoned family home near the shore. In their new, isolated life, July finds that the deep bond she has always shared with September is shifting in ways she cannot entirely understand. A creeping sense of dread and unease descends inside the house. Meanwhile, outside, the sisters push boundaries of behavior --- until a series of shocking encounters tests the limits of their shared experience, and forces shocking revelations about the girls’ past and future. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

THE QUEEN OF TUESDAY: A Lucille Ball Story by Darin Strauss (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Tavia Gilbert
THE QUEEN OF TUESDAY begins with a daring conceit --- that the author’s grandfather may have had an affair with Lucille Ball. The most powerful woman in the history of Hollywood was part of America’s first high-profile interracial marriage. She owned more movie sets than did any movie studio. She more or less single-handedly created the modern TV business. And yet Lucille’s off-camera life was in disarray. While acting out a happy marriage for millions, she suffered in private. Her partner couldn’t stay faithful. She struggled to balance her fame with the demands of being a mother, a creative genius, an entrepreneur and, most of all, a symbol. Reviewed by Roberta O’Hara.

THE LESS DEAD by Denise Mina (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Katie Leung
Dr. Margo Dunlop’s adoptive mom just passed away, and she can't begin to empty the house --- or, it seems, get her brother on the phone. Not to mention she's newly single, secretly pregnant and worried about her best friend's dangerous relationship. In an effort to cheer herself up, she goes in search of her birth mother. Instead she finds Nikki, her mother's sister. Aunt Nikki isn't what Margo expects, and she brings upsetting news: Margo's mother is dead. Worse, she was murdered years ago, and her killer is still at large --- and sending Nikki threatening letters. Then Margo receives a letter, too. Someone out there has been waiting and watching, and in Margo sees the spitting image of her mother. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

IMPERFECT WOMEN by Araminta Hall (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Helen Keeley
When Nancy Hennessy is murdered, she leaves behind two best friends, an adoring husband and daughter, and a secret lover whose identity she took to the grave. Nancy was gorgeous, wealthy and cherished by those who knew her --- from the outside, her life was perfect. But as the investigation into her death flounders, and Eleanor and Mary wrestle with their grief, dark details surface that reveal how little they knew their friend, each other and maybe even themselves. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

THE BUTCHER’S DAUGHTER: A Foundlings Novel by Wendy Corsi Staub (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Hillary Huber
Investigative genealogist Amelia Crenshaw solves clients’ genetic puzzles, while hers remains shrouded in mystery. Now she suspects that the key to her birth parents’ identities lies in an unexpected connection to a stranger who’s hired her to find his long-lost daughter. Bracing herself for a shocking truth, Amelia is blindsided by a deadly one. NYPD Detective Stockton Barnes had walked away from his only child for her own good. He’ll lay down his life to protect her if he and Amelia can find out where --- and who --- she is. But someone has beat them to it, and she has a lethal score to settle. Amelia and Stockton’s entangled roots have unearthed a femme fatale whose family tree holds one of history’s most notorious killers. Reviewed by Susan Miura.

A TRAVELER AT THE GATES OF WISDOM by John Boyne (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Tim McInnerny
This story starts with a family. For now, it is a father and a mother with two sons --- one with his father’s violence in his blood, one with his mother’s artistry. One leaves. One stays. They will be joined by others whose deeds will determine their fate. It is a beginning. Their stories will intertwine and evolve over the course of 2,000 years. They will meet again and again at different times and in different places. From Palestine at the dawn of the first millennium and journeying across 50 countries to a life among the stars in the third, the world will change around them, but their destinies remain the same. It must play out as foretold. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

AGAINST THE LOVELESS WORLD by Susan Abulhawa (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Abulhawa
As Nahr sits, locked away in solitary confinement, she spends her days reflecting on the dramatic events that landed her in prison in a country she barely knows. Born in Kuwait in the ’70s to Palestinian refugees, she dreamed of falling in love with the perfect man, raising children and possibly opening her own beauty salon. Instead, the man she thinks she loves jilts her after a brief marriage, her family teeters on the brink of poverty, she’s forced to prostitute herself, and the U.S. invasion of Iraq makes her a refugee, as her parents had been. After trekking through another temporary home in Jordan, she lands in Palestine, where she finally makes a home, falls in love and her destiny unfolds under Israeli occupation. Reviewed by Catherine Rubino.

JACKIE AND MARIA: A Novel of Jackie Kennedy & Maria Callas by Gill Paul (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Lisa Flanagan
Jackie Kennedy was contemplating leaving her ambitious young senator husband. Life in the public eye with an overly ambitious --- and unfaithful --- man was breaking her spirit. So when she's offered a holiday on the luxurious yacht owned by billionaire Ari Onassis, she says yes. Maria Callas is at the height of her operatic career and widely considered to be the finest soprano in the world. And then she's introduced to Aristotle Onassis, the world’s richest man. Stuck in a childless, sexless marriage, she finds her life being turned upside down by this hyper-intelligent and impeccably charming man. Little by little, Maria’s and Jackie’s lives begin to overlap, and they come closer and closer until everything they know about the world changes on a dime. Reviewed by John Vena.

FINAL CUT by S. J. Watson (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Billie Fulford Brown, Mary Jane Wells, Zehra Jane Naqvi, Matthew Waterson and Will M. Watt
Blackwood Bay. An ordinary place, home to ordinary people. It used to be a buzzing seaside destination. But now, ravaged by the effects of dwindling tourism and economic downturn, it’s a ghost town --- and the perfect place for filmmaker Alex to shoot her new documentary. But the community is deeply suspicious of her intentions. After all, nothing exciting ever happens in Blackwood Bay. Or does it? Reviewed by Ray Palen.

UNTIL I FIND YOU by Rea Frey (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Samantha Desz
Since Rebecca Gray was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease, everything in her life consists of numbers. Each day her world grows a little darker, and each step becomes a little more dangerous. Following days of feeling like someone is watching her, Bec awakes at home to the cries of her son in his nursery. When it’s clear he’s not going to settle, Bec goes to check on him. She reaches in and picks him up. But he’s not her son. And no one believes her. In a world where seeing is believing, Bec must rely on her own conviction and a mother’s instinct to uncover the truth about what happened to her baby and bring him home for good. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.

THE WOODS by Vanessa Savage (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Tamsin Kennard
There's a lot from Tess' childhood that she would rather forget. The family who moved next door and brought chaos to their quiet lives. The two girls who were murdered, their killer never found. But the only thing she can't remember is the one thing she wishes she could. Ten years ago, Tess' older sister died. Ruled a tragic accident, the only witness was Tess herself, but she has never been able to remember what happened that night in the woods. Now living in London, Tess has resolved to put the trauma behind her. But an emergency call from her father forces her back to the family home, back to where her sister's body was found, and to the memories she thought were lost forever. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 1st and 8th

Below are some notable titles releasing on September 1st and 8th 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 weeks of August 31st and September 7th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

September 1st

ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE by Louise Penny (Mystery)
The 16th novel by #1 bestselling author Louise Penny finds Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Quebec investigating a sinister plot in the City of Light.

CHAOS by Iris Johansen (Thriller)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen introduces CIA agent Alisa Flynn, who is willing to go rogue if it means catching the most heartless band of criminals she's ever encountered.

DADDY: Stories by Emma Cline (Fiction/Short Stories)
From the New York Times bestselling author of THE GIRLS comes an eagerly anticipated story collection exploring the dark corners of human experience.

THE DYNASTY: The Inside Story of the NFL's Most Successful and Controversial Franchise by Jeff Benedict (Sports/Biography)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of TIGER WOODS comes the definitive inside story of the New England Patriots --- the greatest sports dynasty of the 21st century.

A GIRL IS A BODY OF WATER by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi (Fiction)
International award-winning author Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s novel is a sweeping and powerful portrait of a young girl and her family: who they are, what history has taken from them, and --- most importantly --- how they find their way back to each other.

HIS ONLY WIFE by Peace Adzo Medie (Fiction)
HIS ONLY WIFE is a witty, smart and moving debut novel about a brave young woman traversing the minefield of modern life with its taboos and injustices, living in a world of men who want their wives to be beautiful, to be good cooks and mothers, to be women who respect their husbands and grant them forbearance.

HITLER: DOWNFALL, 1939-1945 written by Volker Ullrich, translated by Jefferson Chase (Biography)
From the author of HITLER: ASCENT, 1889-1939 comes a riveting account of the dictator's final years, when he got the war he wanted but his leadership led to catastrophe for his nation, the world and himself.

THE LYING LIFE OF ADULTS written by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein (Fiction)
THE LYING LIFE OF ADULTS is a powerful new novel set in a divided Naples by Elena Ferrante, the New York Times bestselling author of MY BRILLIANT FRIEND and THE LOST DAUGHTER.

TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM by Yaa Gyasi (Fiction)
Yaa Gyasi's stunning follow-up to her acclaimed national bestseller HOMEGOING is a powerful, raw, intimate and deeply layered novel about a Ghanaian family in Alabama.

WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING by Alyssa Cole (Psychological Thriller)
Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning.

September 8th

ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman (Fiction)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A MAN CALLED OVE comes a poignant, charming novel about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.

BEFORE SHE WAS HELEN by Caroline B. Cooney (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
BEFORE SHE WAS HELEN is an absorbing mystery that brings decades-old secrets to life and explores what happens when the lie you've been living falls apart and you're forced to confront the truth.

THE BIG DOOR PRIZE by M.O. Walsh (Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of MY SUNSHINE AWAY returns with another instant Southern classic: a gripping and heartfelt novel about a mysterious machine that upends a small Louisiana town, asking us all to wonder if who we truly are is who we truly could be.

EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME: Seasons of Love and Loss by Jenna Bush Hager (Memoir/Essays)
Jenna Bush Hager, the former first daughter and granddaughter, bestselling author and coanchor of the "Today" show, shares moving, funny stories about her beloved grandparents and the wisdom they passed on that has shaped her life.

KILLING CRAZY HORSE: The Merciless Indian Wars in America by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (History)
This latest installment of the multimillion-selling Killing series is a gripping journey through the American West and the historic clashes between Native Americans and settlers.

MONOGAMY by Sue Miller (Fiction)
MONOGAMY is a brilliantly insightful novel, engrossing and haunting, about marriage, love, family, happiness and sorrow.

ONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware (Psychological Thriller)
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE TURN OF THE KEY and IN A DARK, DARK WOOD returns with another suspenseful thriller set on a snow-covered mountain.

A QUESTION OF BETRAYAL: An Elena Standish Novel by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
On her first mission for MI6, the daring young photographer at the heart of this thrilling new mystery series by bestselling author Anne Perry travels to Mussolini’s Italy to rescue the lover who betrayed her.

ROBERT B. PARKER'S FOOL'S PARADISE: A Jesse Stone Novel by Mike Lupica (Mystery)
When an unknown man is found murdered in Paradise, Jesse Stone will have his hands full finding out who he was --- and what he was seeking.

SHADOWS IN DEATH by J. D. Robb (Mystery/Thriller)
In this new installment of J. D. Robb’s #1 New York Times bestselling series, Lt. Eve Dallas is about to walk into the shadows of her husband’s dangerous past.

THE WRITER'S LIBRARY: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager (Literary Criticism)
Twenty three of today's living literary legends reveal the books that made them think, brought them joy and changed their lives in this intimate, moving and insightful collection from "American's Librarian" Nancy Pearl and noted playwright Jeff Schwager that celebrates the power of literature and reading to connect us all.

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