March 12, 2021
 March 12, 2021Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com Reviews | Features | Bookreporter.com Bets On | Upcoming Bets On  For this month's “Bookaccino Live” event, Carol presented 22 books releasing    Carol's three latest reads all be Bets On selections:  On Wednesday, April 14th at 2pm ET, we will host our next "Bookaccino Live" afternoon event.  In honor of Women's History Month, Carol moderated a panel featuring Lauren Willig (upper left),  Carol went to Whole Foods this week to pick up some flowers to arrange, Weekend’s an Hour Less; Read Faster! The weather warmed up this week, so the snow on the front walk melted. Yes, I guess Tom was right, we did not have to shovel. There was no need to use the front walk for the last few weeks, right? Last weekend, I had a wonderful time (virtually) at the Tucson Festival of Books, where I moderated two events. The first featured Lisa See, who talked about her latest bestseller, THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN, and her prolific writing career. I then chatted with Susie Yang and Francesca Serritella about their debut novels, WHITE IVY and GHOSTS OF HARVARD. If you missed these events and would like to check them out, you’re in luck! All of Tucson’s sessions were recorded and are available to view on their website. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to watch these replays. For your convenience, the Crowdcast links for my events are here for Lisa and here for Susie and Francesca. Also, Lisa was the recipient of the Festival’s Founder’s Award, and there was a lovely ceremony honoring her last Friday night. You can see that here. In between these events, and throughout the week, I read...a lot. And I have found three new Bookreporter.com Bets On selections. Laura Dave’s new book, THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME, is a really brisk suspense novel, publishing on May 4th. This is something different for Laura, and she totally delivers. Owen Michaels has disappeared in the wake of a scandal at his company. But before he headed out, he got a note smuggled to Hannah Hall, his wife, who he had married a year ago. It has just two words: Protect her. She knows exactly to whom that refers --- Owen’s 16-year-old daughter, Bailey, who barely gives her the time of day. Suddenly law enforcement is showing up at their houseboat asking questions that Hannah has no answers to. She starts to wonder “who” she really married, and she needs Bailey to help her. You will not think this was Laura’s first suspense novel as it's so sharp and well done. She and her husband, Josh Singer, who won an Oscar for Spotlight, are adapting the book for a limited series for Apple TV+, starring Julia Roberts. THE FIANCÉE by Kate White will be in stores on June 29th. Summer is looking forward to her annual vacation at her in-laws' estate in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She’s headed there with her husband, Gabe, and her precocious nine-year-old stepson. As the family gathers, she recognizes her brother-in-law’s girlfriend, Hannah, who was in an acting showcase with her a few years ago. But when questioned about this, Hannah says she could not recall it. Summer just does not trust her --- and her suspicions only amp up when her brother-in-law announces that they are engaged; they only had been dating for a short time. The weekend rolls along with a number of family bonding moments until someone is found dead. What happened, and just who is the fiancée? I thoroughly enjoyed this book in between the Tucson virtual events last weekend. Kate and I worked together many moons ago when we were at Mademoiselle, and it’s been such fun following her writing career. I can see this one getting lots of beach time for people this summer. Now I am reading THE PLOT by Jean Hanff Korelitz, which releases on May 11th and has a very inventive plot. Jacob Finch Bonner was once a promising novelist whose first book had some success. But his career has slid, and he finds himself teaching at a third-rate MFA program where he meets a student who is full of braggadocio and is completely self-absorbed. The student knows he has written a bestseller; he’s even figured out his author name. Yes, he has that kind of writerly arrogance. He runs the plot by Jake, who realizes there is something solid there. So when Jake learns that his former student has died, he comes up with a plan. He will publish that book as his own. And it is a huge bestseller. But then one day he sees something online that can rip his world apart: You are a thief. Now I am waiting to see what happens next; I get the feeling it’s not going to go well for Jake! Hey, I remember from school, “Keep your eyes on your own paper.” In last Friday’s newsletter, I told you how much fun I had moderating a panel that featured Lauren Willig, Marie Benedict, Kristin Harmel and Vanessa Riley. We kicked off Women’s History Month by celebrating Lauren’s new historical novel, BAND OF SISTERS, which we reviewed last week. For those of you who weren’t able to join us, the event is now available here on our YouTube channel and as a podcast here. On Wednesday afternoon, we hosted our latest “Bookaccino Live” event. I presented 22 titles releasing between March 9th and April 6th, along with 10 from May, that I wanted to get on your radar. Click here to watch the presentation and here to see a list of the featured titles. Our next afternoon event will take place on Wednesday, April 14th at 2pm ET. Join me as I talk about a number of books coming out from April 13th to May 4th, plus a few from June, that I think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. Remember, those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win prizes. THE HOUSE UPTOWN by Melissa Ginsburg, which will be in stores on Tuesday, is our latest New Release Spotlight title. Fourteen-year-old Ava has lost her mother and is now on a train heading to New Orleans, where she will stay with her grandmother, whom she barely remembers. Lane is a well-known artist in the New Orleans art scene, and Ava’s arrival unsettles her. The girl bears an uncanny resemblance to her daughter, from whom she was estranged before her death. Now her presence is dredging up painful and disturbing memories, which forces Lane to retreat even further into her own mind. As Ava and Lane attempt to form a bond, the oppressive heat and history of New Orleans bears down on them, forcing a reckoning that neither of them are prepared for. Stephen King is back with a brand-new novel about the secrets we keep buried and the cost of unearthing them. LATER introduces readers to Jamie Conklin, the son of a struggling single mother who just wants an ordinary childhood. But that’s impossible, because Jamie was born with an unnatural ability that his mom urges him to keep secret --- he can see what no one else can see and learn what no one else can learn. Unfortunately, the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine, as an NYPD detective draws him into the pursuit of a killer who has threatened to strike from beyond the grave. Our reviewers Joe Hartlaub and Ray Palen are such huge Stephen King fans that we decided to post TWO reviews of the book. Joe calls it “a joy to read. The plot is straightforward but leaves room for a few twists (including a total surprise near the conclusion)…. If you haven’t read a King novel for a while due to time constraints, or you would like an introduction to the man at or near the top of his game, pick LATER as your delightful literary poison.” And according to Ray, "LATER is top-notch Stephen King and one of the most memorable works in his long and storied writing career. The tale calls to mind many of his prior works and is the only other story next to the classic IT to refer to ‘deadlights’ --- a word that should cause icy chills to run down the spine of any faithful King reader." KLARA AND THE SUN, March’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick, is Kazuo Ishiguro’s first novel since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature four years ago. Here’s how Ishiguro describes his long-awaited new book: “Klara is a little artificial intelligence robot girl created to prevent teenagers from becoming lonely. This is a story of how she tries to save the family of humans she lives with from heartbreak. And how she tries to enlist the sun --- the sun up there in the sky --- to help her. I hope you find this uplifting and that it touches you.” Norah Piehl has our review and says, “Klara herself may technically lack the ability to love, but through her actions, she both exemplifies more compassion than many of the humans in the novel and inspires new kinds of connection in the humans whose lives intersect with her own. Like Ishiguro’s previous narrators, Klara will leave an indelible mark on readers’ own memories and perhaps even the way they view our world.” We also have a discussion guide for the book on ReadingGroupGuides.com, which you can find here. Other books we’re reviewing this week include THE ROSE CODE by Kate Quinn, the World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over; HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE, Imbolo Mbue’s second novel (following her bestselling 2016 debut, BEHOLD THE DREAMERS, an Oprah’s Book Club pick), which centers on the collision of a small African village and an American oil company; DARK SKY by C. J. Box, which finds Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett accompanying a Silicon Valley CEO on a hunting trip --- but he soon learns that he himself may be the hunted; and this month’s LibraryReads Top Pick, THE LOST APOTHECARY, Sarah Penner’s much-talked-about first novel that revolves around secrets, vengeance and the remarkable ways that women can save each other despite the barrier of time. Chris Whitaker's WE BEGIN AT THE END, which we reviewed in last week’s newsletter, is my latest Bets On pick. Click here for my commentary. If you missed my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Chris, you can watch it here and listen to the podcast here. I am not the only one who loves this book, which already is in the works to be adapted into a television series. Melanie shared this comment about it on Word of Mouth: "5 stars is not enough for this new classic!" And at least three readers wrote that they are selecting it for their book groups. Speaking of which, WE BEGIN AT THE END also continues to be one of our Word of Mouth prizes for this contest period, along with WIN by Harlan Coben, which we will review next week. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win both these terrific novels. Please do so by Friday, March 19th at noon ET. In this week’s Spring Preview contests, we gave away MOTHER MAY I by Joshilyn Jackson, WHO IS MAUD DIXON? by Alexandra Andrews, and WILLA'S GROVE by Laura Munson. Next week’s prizes will be AFTERSHOCKS by Nadia Owusu and SPARKS LIKE STARS by Nadia Hashimi (yes, TWO Nadias in the same week…we did NOT plan that in advance!). The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, March 15th at noon ET. Next week we will post my interview with Nadia Owusu that I conducted for the Morristown Festival of Books @Home live virtual author event series. Our poll continues to ask of which 27 titles releasing in March you are planning to read. Click here to let us know which ones, if any, you are anticipating the most! Yes, we are keeping an eye on this. News & Pop Culture Reader Mail: Marnie wrote, "I enjoy your blog. Thank you! Along with having been an avid bibliophile for 77 years now, I love doing word puzzles, and I belong to the National Puzzlers' League. One of their (member-created) cryptograms I cracked recently worked out to: ‘U.S.: March enters like lion, leaves as lamb. Mexico: jaguar comes, axolotl goes. Malawi: gnu, wildebeest --- in, out.’ Funny!” Betty wrote, “I was so pleased to see your recommendation for the Morning Brew newsletter. I, too, receive it daily and find it informative and entertaining. Financial news can be so boring and often beyond what I can understand. These folks simplify it, and I love their contests. Hope you get the water bottle!!” Thanks to those who signed up! I did “earn” the water bottle. Typewriters: I started playing on my dad’s typewriter when I was three years old. I think it’s the reason I do not use the right keys when I type; at the time my hand span was not big enough. Thus I enjoyed this short video called "The Typewriter (supercut)” from Ariel Avissar on Vimeo. It’s a homage to typewriters in film and television, set to Leroy Anderson's "The Typewriter." My dad still has that typewriter; I want him to will it to me. Banff World Tour: We are thoroughly enjoying this series of adventure films. We normally would go to see them live at Princeton in April, but I bought the virtual package this year for $52. The nice thing is we normally would see just one series, and now we get to see all four. I highly recommend it if you like outdoor adventure films! Audrey: More Than An Icon on Netflix starting Sunday: This documentary features never-before-seen footage and intimate stories from those who knew and loved Audrey Hepburn. It explores her life from childhood to her rise as an actor, fashion icon and philanthropist. I am looking forward to it. Billie Eilish: I confess I did not know much about her or her music, but I found myself enjoying the documentary about her on Apple TV+. My son, Cory, got a kick out of me talking to him about this. Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell on Netflix: There are times when I stumble on interesting things on Netflix. I watched a documentary about The Notorious B.I.G., who went from hustler to rap king. When we had our New York City office, our parking garage was the same one that many of the execs and recording artists from Universal Records used. P. Diddy had a number of cars there during the summer. And there was a sign in the garage that said you needed to “turn off your radio and your car” when you pulled in. There were many times when we would leave the garage and pass a car with the radio blaring. It was very amusing. Oh, and I am sure there was mega talent in the house, but I never recognized anyone. "Bosch" Fans: Good news. For those of you who enjoy the "Bosch" series on Amazon Prime Video, the seventh and final season is upcoming, though the release date has not been announced. But we also learned that there will be a spinoff series on IMDb TV, and yes, Titus Welliver will be Bosch again. Cory bought a kayak yesterday, and lacking a place to store it at his apartment, he brought it here to the house. So now we have a kayak on our patio on top of the snow, which still has not melted. Last summer, he figured out that kayaking was a great way to socially distance with his pals on the water. Maybe I can learn to kayak in the pool. I may ask him for his inflatable kayak. Tomorrow I am giving a quick virtual talk on spring/summer books for the New Jersey Association of School Libraries, and then Greg and I are taking a class on cold weather planting of lettuce and vegetables at a local nursery. I am thinking of making a vegetable garden. We shall see how this goes. Flower garden planning is moving to the top of the list, too. Flowers have been very much on my mind, especially ranunculus, which I am thinking of growing. The other night I went to Whole Foods to pick up some flowers to arrange, including ranunculus, which I did in the photo above. I also learned that there is a huge display of ranunculus at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, CA. I added a visit there to a bucket list. The puzzle I mentioned last week is going really well. I did two more pieces; I know, amazing, right? BUT my husband is really enjoying it. He has done more than half as he watches golf. I came in the family room on Saturday, and at first I was miffed that he had done so much. Then I thought, Wow, this is great, and I sorted more pieces by color for him. I am very good at sorting by color! A year ago Wednesday was my last day working in our New York office. So much has changed in the past year. When I think of all the business decisions --- and changes --- that we made, it’s quite exhausting. We did some reminiscing about those this week. That said, I am choosing to focus on the positives, including our terrific team --- and the ways we are connecting with our readers in new, albeit virtual, ways. There are still eight boxes from the office to unpack. I know, a year later. Maybe I will do one this weekend. Hey, let’s not get too carried away here. There are some books calling my name! Read on, and have a great week, minus one hour. Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)    Featured Reviews: LATER by Stephen King  LATER by Stephen King (Paranormal Thriller/Horror) - Click here to read more about the book. Read reviews by Joe Hartlaub and Ray Palen. Featured Review:  KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro (Science Fiction) Click here to read our review. Featured Review: THE ROSE CODE by Kate Quinn  THE ROSE CODE by Kate Quinn (Historical Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review.  New Release Spotlight:  THE HOUSE UPTOWN by Melissa Ginsburg (Fiction) Ava, 14 years old and totally on her own, has still not fully processed her mother’s death when she finds herself on a train heading to New Orleans, to stay with Lane, the grandmother she barely remembers. Lane is a well-known artist in the New Orleans art scene. She spends most of her days in a pot-smoke haze, sipping iced coffee, and painting, which has been her singular focus for years. Her grip on reality is shaky at best, but her work provides a comfort. Ava’s arrival unsettles Lane. The girl bears an uncanny resemblance to her daughter, from whom she was estranged before her death. Now her presence is dredging up painful and disturbing memories, which forces Lane to retreat even further into her own mind. As Ava and Lane attempt to find their way and form a bond, the oppressive heat and history of New Orleans bears down on them, forcing a reckoning neither of them are ready for. Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.  Bookreporter.com Bets On:  WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker (Mystery/Thriller) Walk carries the burden of being responsible for his best friend, Vincent King, going to prison for 30 years from the time he was only 15 for Sissy’s murder. As Vincent is finally being freed, Walk ponders what will happen next. Through the years, he has been Duchess’ protector --- essentially her family. But Walk has just been diagnosed with an illness that is going to limit his life, and he cannot be there for her the way he once was. Click here to read more of Carol's commentary. Featured Review:  HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE by Imbolo Mbue (Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: DARK SKY by C. J. Box  DARK SKY: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box (Mystery/Thriller) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review:  THE LOST APOTHECARY by Sarah Penner (Historical Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Bookreporter.com's 10th Annual  Spring is in the air (or will be very soon)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases. Our 10th 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 23rd 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, March 15th at noon ET. This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details    From left to right: Harlan Coben, Naima Coster, Walter Isaacson 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. Tuesdays at 7:30pm ET: "Talking ETERNAL with Lisa Scottoline": Join Lisa Scottoline every Tuesday night at 7:30pm ET on Facebook as she premieres a new episode from her video series, "Behind the Book: Talking ETERNAL," which reveals behind-the-scenes looks at the inspirations of her upcoming historical fiction book, ETERNAL, releasing on March 23rd. And stay tuned because immediately following each video premiere, Lisa hosts a Facebook Live to talk about the video. Sunday, March 14th at 3pm ET: Politics & Prose Virtual Event: Politics & Prose presents a virtual event with Walter Isaacson, the New York Times bestselling author of STEVE JOBS. Isaacson will be in conversation with Jane Pauley, host of "CBS Sunday Morning," to discuss his new biography of Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna, THE CODE BREAKER. Sunday, March 14th at 5pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe --- will talk to Sadeqa Johnson about YELLOW WIFE. Monday, March 15th at 7pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore Virtual Event: #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben will discuss his latest novel, WIN, with Barbara Peters. Tuesday, March 16th at 7pm ET: Anderson's Bookshop Virtual Event: Join Anderson's Bookshops for a special virtual author event with Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro. He will be in conversation with Washington Post book critic Ron Charles to discuss his new novel, KLARA AND THE SUN, this month's "GMA" Book Club pick. Tuesday, March 16th at 7pm ET: Belmont Books Virtual Event: Join Belmont Books for a great night of historical fiction, as authors Patti Callahan and Whitney Scharer discuss Patti's latest book, SURVIVING SAVANNAH. Tuesday, March 16th at 8pm ET: Magic City Books Virtual Event: Magic City Books is proud to welcome Harlan Coben for a virtual book launch event in celebration of his new thriller, WIN. Joining Harlan in conversation about his book will be Nicholas Sparks, whose most recent novel is THE RETURN. Wednesday, March 17th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Jennifer Robson (OUR DARKEST NIGHT) and Ariel Lawhon (CODE NAME HÉLÈNE). Thursday, March 18th at 5:30pm ET: Boston Book Festival Online Fundraiser Event: Bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud has the unique ability to recommend the perfect book for many of life’s most unexpected predicaments. During this lively online event, Ella will “prescribe” books based on attendees’ situations or questions. Ticket discounts are available to Bookreporter and ReadingGroupGuides readers! Thursday, March 18th at 7pm ET: Brookline Brooksmith Virtual Event: Join the Transnational Literature Series for a virtual event with Viet Thanh Nguyen and Walter Mosley to discuss Nguyen's long-awaited new novel, THE COMMITTED. Thursday, March 18th at 8pm ET: Blue Willow Bookshop Virtual Event: Patti Callahan will appear in conversation with Lisa Wingate to discuss her new book, SURVIVING SAVANNAH. Thursday, March 18th at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book Virtual Event: Harlan Coben and Michael J. Fox will be in conversation about their new books, WIN and NO TIME LIKE THE FUTURE. A portion of the proceeds from the book sales from the event will be donated to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.   "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 WeekTRANSIENT DESIRES: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery by Donna Leon (Mystery) THE BARBIZON: The Hotel That Set Women Free by Paulina Bren (History) THE WINDSOR KNOT by SJ Bennett (Mystery) - Click here for the discussion guide. SMOKE: An IQ Novel by Joe Ide (Mystery) RHAPSODY by Mitchell James Kaplan (Historical Fiction) - Click here to read an excerpt. IT’S BEEN A PLEASURE, NONI BLAKE by Claire Christian (Fiction/Humor) BLACK CORAL by Andrew Mayne (Mystery/Thriller) IN THE QUICK by Kate Hope Day (Fiction) THE DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOR by Helen Cooper (Domestic Thriller/Mystery) INTENTION TREMOR: A Hybrid Collection by Tamara Kaye Sellman (Memoir)   
Next Week's Notables:
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