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It was another week of author events and publisher previews for fall titles. I have notes both typed and handwritten strewn all over my desk. I have links to more pre-pub interviews to reference. This is a great year for readers; there is so much coming up that looks interesting beyond what already has come out. I was making notes for future “Bookaccino Live” programs. When we did this week’s session, attendees asked us to continue this monthly program, which originally was done because bookstores and libraries were closed for browsing, and we wanted our readers to be aware of what was being published. We are so happy that more than 240 people were with us on Wednesday.
On Tuesday evening, I enjoyed an event where Taylor Jenkins Reid was in conversation with Camila Morrone, who will be starring in the upcoming adaptation of DAISY JONES & THE SIX. They talked about that book, as well as THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO and Taylor's latest novel, MALIBU RISING, including a character who appears in all three. It was a brilliantly fun evening, and they covered a lot of ground. I absolutely loved MALIBU RISING (you can read my Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary about it here), and this book trailer for it is just terrific. I love the way it sets up Malibu --- and the book --- for the reader.
I am reading THE LAST COMMANDMENT by Scott Shepherd, and it’s fabulous. This is Scott’s first mystery, and I am very happy to hear that he is planning a series with his character, Austin Grant, a Scotland Yard detective who is recently widowered.
The book opens during Christmastime in London when the detective is weeks from his year-end retirement --- and he is counting the days. There have been three seemingly unconnected murders in London. But there is something that gives one pause about the cases. There are sequential Roman numerals on the heads of all the victims. What’s the connection? The Ten Commandments. Scott gets the reader quickly thinking about catechism, which I studied in school; I confess to not remembering all 10 that were drilled into me in third grade. The fourth murder is in New York at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and it brings Grant stateside. Scott wrote about the city and nailed the traffic at the holidays, as well as a number of locations that many of us who worked or lived there know well. Grant is assisted by an NYPD detective, John Frankel, as well as his own estranged daughter, Rachel.
I still do not know why Grant is estranged from Rachel, and I am looking forward to reading more...and yes, catching up on the Commandments. Hey, I remember that the sixth one is “Thou shalt not kill.” That is something, right?
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Linwood Barclay, whose new thriller, FIND YOU FIRST, is a Bets On selection. Miles Cookson is a tech millionaire who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and he hopes to spend the last bit of his short life finding anyone he might have passed it onto. As a sperm donor, he knows he has multiple unknown kids, and he wants to share the truth with them before time runs out. On his journey, he realizes that his possible descendants are vanishing one by one. Linwood talked about what drew him to write about DNA testing, his writing process and what's next. We’re good friends, so we also discussed what we have binge-watched and loved --- and how he has not been able to get a haircut since November 28th due to COVID-19 restrictions in Toronto where he lives. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
Last Chance to Enter our “Best Books for Dad” Contest!
FIND YOU FIRST is one of the prizes in this year’s Father’s Day contest. We’re giving five readers the opportunity to win all 12 of our dad-friendly titles, which also include ELECTRIC CITY: The Lost History of Ford and Edison’s American Utopia by Thomas Hager, A GAMBLING MAN by David Baldacci, and TALKING TO GOATs: The Moments You Remember and the Stories You Never Heard by Jim Gray. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, June 18th at noon ET.
As I mentioned earlier, we hosted this month's “Bookaccino Live” event on Wednesday afternoon. I presented 35 books releasing between now and July 6th, along with 10 from August, that I wanted to get on your radar. Click here to watch the presentation and here to see a list of all the titles that I talked about.
Next month’s "Bookaccino Live" afternoon event will take place on Wednesday, July 14th at 2pm ET. I will present titles that are coming out between July 13th and August 3rd, along with a few from September, that I think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. 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 a prize.
Announcing Our New Special Contest!
This week, we are kicking off a special contest for IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK by debut novelist Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström. The book revolves around three Black women who are linked in unexpected ways to the same influential white man in Stockholm.
Successful marketing executive Kemi Adeyemi is lured from the U.S. to Sweden by Jonny von Lundin, CEO of the nation's largest marketing firm, to help fix a PR fiasco involving a racially tone-deaf campaign. A chance meeting with Jonny in business class en route to the U.S. propels former model-turned-flight-attendant Brittany-Rae Johnson into a life of wealth, luxury and privilege as the object of his unhealthy obsession. And refugee Muna Saheed, who lost her entire family, finds a job cleaning the toilets at Jonny's office as she works to establish her residency in Sweden, all while seeking connection and a place she can call home.
IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK doesn’t release until September 7th, but we have 25 advance copies to give away to those who would like to read the book. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 24th at noon ET.
This week’s reviews include:
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THE PRESIDENT’S DAUGHTER: In this second collaboration between Bill Clinton and James Patterson, following 2018’s THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING, a madman abducts the teenage daughter of Matthew Keating --- a one-time Navy SEAL and a past president --- sending him on a one-man special ops mission to save her. You can see Clinton and Patterson talk about the book on "Good Morning America" here.
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ANIMAL: Lisa Taddeo follows up her international bestseller, THREE WOMEN, with a debut novel that illustrates one woman's exhilarating transformation from prey into predator.
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SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO: Lionel Shriver has written a fascinating novel about a married couple who agree to commit suicide together when they both turn 80. Once they reach that age, we’re presented with 12 parallel universes, each exploring a possible future for Kay and Cyril.
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THE DISAPPEARING ACT: Actress and writer Catherine Steadman’s third psychological thriller (after SOMETHING IN THE WATER and MR. NOBODY) is set in a world close to home that asks the question: In a city where dreams really do come true, how far would you go to make the unreal real?
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THE VANISHING POINT: In Elizabeth Brundage’s new literary thriller, Julian and Rye are photography students in the exclusive Brodsky Workshop. Both are captivated by Magda, a fellow classmate, and each will have some personal history with her. Twenty years after leaving Brodsky, Julian discovers Rye’s obituary --- but something feels off as he attends the funeral. As always, Elizabeth drew me in with her characters and sharp writing. I look forward to interviewing her soon!
Summer Reading Update
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP by Susan Wiggs and THE WARSAW ORPHAN by Kelly Rimmer. We don’t have any giveaways scheduled for the next couple of weeks; we will resume the week of June 28th when our prize books will be THE FIANCÉE by Kate White, LADY SUNSHINE by Amy Mason Doan, and RUBY FALLS by Deborah Goodrich Royce. In the meantime, be sure to take a look at our featured titles for some great summer reading selections that you may want to add to your TBR list.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, June 25th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides and MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS by Joshua Henkin, both of which release on Tuesday (the latter will be a Bets On pick). We plan to feature our reviews of these highly anticipated novels in next week’s newsletter.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
Which social media platforms do you use regularly, and which do you use to talk about or note the books that you’re reading? Those are our latest poll questions; let us know what your social media habits are by clicking here.
In our previous poll, we wanted to know how you felt about attending in-person author events now that the world is opening up again. 38% of you would like to do this as soon as possible, 24% hope to be ready later this year, 11% are not sure when they will be ready, and 34% wish there were author events that occurred close enough to their home so they could consider doing this. Click here for all the results. And that 34% number makes me realize that I, too, would attend more author events if they were closer to home.
The 105th annual Pulitzer Prizes were announced today. Among the winners are THE NIGHT WATCHMAN by Louise Erdrich (Fiction), THE DEAD ARE ARISING: The Life of Malcolm X, by Les Payne and Tamara Payne (Biography), and FRANCHISE: The Golden Arches in Black America, by Marcia Chatelain (History). Click here for the complete list of winners and nominees in the Journalism, Books, Drama and Music categories.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Susan wrote, “I really appreciate your weekly run-through on the streaming programs you watch, regardless of whether or not they derive from books. With all the services to which we have access, I write down the new seasons of our favorites, and I also look weekly at Books on Screen. It is a plus that we have similar taste in programming. We just finished "The Underground Railroad", and my husband was educated as to the brutality of slave life, which I have read about extensively in fiction.” Susan, you reminded me that I want to watch “The Underground Railroad.”
Christine wrote this after our "Bookaccino Live" event on Wednesday: “Thanks, that was a great session. I want to stop working and get back to reading!” We loved this comment as this is exactly what we want to inspire at “Bookaccino Live.” There are times when I, too, add to my reading list after one of these programs!
What Makes the Ultimate Beach Read?: Mary Kay Andrews, who has written her fair share of beach reads, weighs in on this timely topic. Note who is quoted at the end of the article!
World Wide Knit in Public Day: It's tomorrow, Saturday, June 12th. One of the yarn shops that I frequent is having a “knit outside” event. It's so nice to see events like this coming back to life.
In the Heights (now in theaters and on HBO Max): I am looking forward to watching Jon M. Chu’s long-awaited feature adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes' four-time Tony-winning musical.
"Bosch" (Amazon Prime): I learned this week that the seventh and final season kicks off on June 25th. I am looking forward to bingeing this!
"Younger" Finale (Hulu): This was such a fun series set in the world of publishing. It is amusing to see what they got right and what they got wrong, and it had a really well-done ending. Here is an article with creator Darren Star talking about the wrap-up.
"The Bold Type" (Hulu): I watched this when it was served up to me after a "Younger" episode. This, like "Younger," is not deep, but it’s amusing. The story is set at a women’s magazine, and from my time at Condé Nast, I find it all very relatable. Three young twentysomethings are finding their way. Parts are over the top, but it is another show to have on when sending emails or knitting when I just want an escape.
"Pose" Finale (FX): This series had a two-hour finale that was very well done, though I thought there were multiple places within it where the ending could have brilliantly happened as well.
We are big fans of rhubarb in our house, and it has a brief season around here. Supermarkets have not been stocking it, so I headed to the farmer’s market on Saturday and bought six stalks. They suggested a Dump Cake as an easy way to bake with it. I found this recipe, and it was super easy --- and great. I only had black cherry gelatin on hand, and it was fine. I think I would use less sugar next time, but that would be my only change. I also made strawberry-rhubarb pie this week, and I have gathered a few more recipes from friends, including hand pies.
I am gardening up a storm, getting last-minute planting done for what I call early summer planting. Last summer, I stumbled on some really lovely plants later in the season, so I want to keep new plants coming in waves. We have these two high planters (turquoise, of course) in which we typically have planted morning glories. Soooo it looked like they came back this year…and wow, it seemed that they were growing fast. We bought morning glory plants for the other planters, and the leaves do not look the same. Well, there is a reason for that. We are growing WEEDS in the pot above. Seriously. I have two passion flower plants on the way that typically have grown well for us elsewhere. But hey, the weeds are VERY healthy. As Dan at our local garden center said, “Weeds are plants, too, but they are not the ones we want.”
We have three interviews scheduled for next week, which I am looking forward to. And others are lined up for the weeks to come. So lots of prep for those will be going on this weekend.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Featured Review: THE PRESIDENT’S DAUGHTER
by Bill Clinton and James Patterson
THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER by Bill Clinton and James Patterson (Political Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Tony Goldwyn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Fajer Al-Kaisi, Amanda Dolan, Dion Graham, Peter Ganim, January LaVoy, James Chen, Soneela Nankani and Jeremy Davidson
Matthew Keating, a one-time Navy SEAL --- and a past president --- has always defended his family as staunchly as he has his country. Now those defenses are under attack. A madman abducts Keating’s teenage daughter, Melanie --- turning every parent’s deepest fear into a matter of national security. As the world watches in real time, Keating embarks on a one-man special-ops mission that tests his strengths: as a leader, a warrior and a father. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: ANIMAL by Lisa Taddeo
ANIMAL by Lisa Taddeo (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Emma Roberts
Joan has spent a lifetime enduring the cruelties of men. But when one of them commits a shocking act of violence in front of her, she flees New York City in search of Alice, the only person alive who can help her make sense of her past. In the sweltering hills above Los Angeles, Joan unravels the horrific event she witnessed as a child --- that has haunted her every waking moment --- while forging the power to finally strike back. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
New Special Contest:
Enter to Win an Advance Copy of IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström,
Releasing September 7th
In Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström's debut novel, IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK, three Black women are linked in unexpected ways to the same influential white man in Stockholm as they build their new lives in the most open society run by the most private people. We have 25 advance copies to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on September 7th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 24th at noon ET.
IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström (Fiction)
Successful marketing executive Kemi Adeyemi is lured from the U.S. to Sweden by Jonny von Lundin, CEO of the nation’s largest marketing firm, to help fix a PR fiasco involving a racially tone-deaf campaign. A killer at work but a failure in love, Kemi’s move is a last-ditch effort to reclaim her social life.
A chance meeting with Jonny in business class en route to the U.S. propels former model-turned-flight-attendant Brittany-Rae Johnson into a life of wealth, luxury and privilege --- a life she’s not sure she wants --- as the object of his unhealthy obsession.
And refugee Muna Saheed, who lost her entire family, finds a job cleaning the toilets at Jonny’s office as she works to establish her residency in Sweden and, more importantly, seeks connection and a place she can call home.
Told through the perspectives of each of the three women, IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK is a fast-paced, richly nuanced yet accessible contemporary novel that touches on important social issues of racism, classism, fetishization and tokenism, and what it means to be a Black woman navigating a white-dominated society.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström's bio.
- Click here to visit Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström's website.
- Connect with Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid
June’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club Pick
MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid is set in Malibu in August 1983. Nina Riva is set to throw her end-of-summer party, which requires no invite --- those in the know just show up. It’s the place to be. Nina is a fabulous surfer and a supermodel. One brother is a champion surfer, and the other is a well-respected photographer. And there is a younger sister who still is making her way. The kids also are known for their pedigree as their dad is a well-known singer, Mick Riva. Nina is not excited about the party; she recently split with her husband, who is a champion tennis player, but the tradition must go on.
The backstory on the family is so well done; we see how they came to Malibu at a time when it was not the huge star mecca that it is today. There are tons of secrets and a fair number of lies. It’s juicy and smart --- and Taylor captures the Malibu vibe so well.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to see why the book is June's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club pick.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
Featured Review:
SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO
by Lionel Shriver
SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO by Lionel Shriver (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Hannah Curtis
When her father dies, Kay Wilkinson can’t cry. Over 10 years, Alzheimer’s had steadily eroded this erudite man into a paranoid lunatic. Both medical professionals, Kay and her husband, Cyril, have seen too many elderly patients in similar states of decay. Although healthy and vital in their early 50s, the couple fears what may lie ahead. To spare themselves and their loved ones such a humiliating and protracted decline, Cyril proposes that they agree to commit suicide together once they’ve both turned 80. When their deal is sealed, the spouses are blithely looking forward to another three decades together. But then they turn 80. SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO portrays 12 parallel universes, each exploring a possible future for Kay and Cyril. Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE DISAPPEARING ACT
by Catherine Steadman
THE DISAPPEARING ACT by Catherine Steadman (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Catherine Steadman
British star Mia Eliot has landed leading roles in costume dramas in her native country, but now it’s time for Hollywood to take her to the next level. She flies across the Atlantic to join the horde of talent scrambling for their big breaks. One day she meets Emily, another actress from out of town and a kindred spirit. Emily is friendly and genuine and reassuringly doesn’t seem to be taking any of it too seriously. But a simple favor takes a dark twist when Emily disappears and Mia realizes she was the last person to see her. And when a woman knocks on Mia’s door the following day claiming to be Emily and isn’t the woman Mia remembers at all, Mia is deeply troubled. All Mia has to go on is the memory of a girl she met only once...and the suffocating feeling that something terrible has happened. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE VANISHING POINT
by Elizabeth Brundage
THE VANISHING POINT by Elizabeth Brundage (Literary Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Fajer Al-Kaisi, Robert Petkoff, Saskia Maarleveld, Michael Crouch and Joana Garcia
Julian Ladd and Rye Adler cross paths as photography students in the exclusive Brodsky Workshop. Both men are fascinated with their beautiful and talented classmate, Magda, whose captivating images of her Polish neighborhood set her apart. Twenty years later, Rye is at the top of his field. When Magda reenters his life, asking for help only he can give, Rye finds himself in a broken landscape of street people and addicts, and his search for a missing boy becomes his own desperate fight to survive. Months later, when Julian discovers Rye’s obituary, the paper makes it sound like a suicide. Julian attends the funeral, where there is no casket and no body. This sudden reentry into a world he thought he left behind forces Julian to question not only Rye’s death, but the very foundations of his life. Reviewed by Susan Miura.
Bookreporter.com's 16th Annual
Father's Day Contest: Best Books for Dad
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 16th 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 12 featured titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, June 18th at noon ET.
This year's prize books are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com's 17th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
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 Tuesday, June 29th at noon ET.
This year’s featured titles include:
Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.
From left to right: Joshua Henkin, Tia Williams, Alex Michaelides
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.
Tuesday, June 15th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Alex Michaelides to discuss his new thriller, THE MAIDENS, with fellow New York Times bestselling author Lucy Foley.
Tuesday, June 15th at 7pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Lionel Shriver as she discusses her new book, SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO, in conversation with Dean Nelson.
Tuesday, June 15th at 7:30pm ET: Greenlight Bookstore: Joshua Henkin comes to Greenlight (virtually!) to share his new book, MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS. He will be in conversation with award-winning author Julie Orringer.
Wednesday, June 16th at 6pm ET: Bethany Beach Books: Join Bethany Beach Books for a Sizzling Summer Reads event with Tia Williams in conversation with Katherine St. John about her new novel, SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE, which is Reese's Book Club pick for June.
Wednesday, June 16th at 7pm 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 throw a launch party for Mary Alice's new middle grade series, The Islanders, with her co-author Angela May and Sy Montgomery.
Wednesday, June 16th at 8pm ET: Barrett Bookstore: Barrett Bookstore presents a virtual event with Zakiya Dalila Harris (THE OTHER BLACK GIRL, this month's Barnes & Noble and "Good Morning America" Book Club picks) and Jennifer Weiner (THAT SUMMER).
Thursday, June 17th at 7pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Laurie Frankel as she discusses her new book, ONE TWO THREE, in conversation with Susan Straight.
Thursday, June 17th at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: John McMahon will be in conversation with William Kent Krueger about his new thriller, A GOOD KILL.
"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:
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Elizabeth Brundage (THE VANISHING POINT)
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Christina Clancy (SHOULDER SEASON)
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Zakiya Dalila Harris (THE OTHER BLACK GIRL)
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Joshua Henkin (MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS)
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Alex Michaelides (THE MAIDENS)
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T. J. Newman (FALLING)
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Dianna Rostad (YOU BELONG HERE NOW)
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Lauren Weisberger (WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY)
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Kate White (THE FIANCÉE)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
HOW THE WORD IS PASSED: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith (History)
Audiobook available, read by Clint Smith
Beginning in his hometown of New Orleans, Clint Smith leads the reader on an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks --- those that are honest about the past and those that are not --- that offer an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation’s collective history, and ourselves. HOW THE WORD IS PASSED illustrates how some of our country’s most essential stories are hidden in plain view --- whether in places we might drive by on our way to work, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods like downtown Manhattan, where the brutal history of the trade in enslaved men, women and children has been deeply imprinted. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
ONE LAST STOP by Casey McQuiston (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Natalie Naudus
For cynical 23-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. There’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures. But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train. Jane. Her subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem: Jane doesn’t just look like an old school punk rocker. She’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
CASTLE SHADE: A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. King (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Jenny Sterlin
The queen is Marie of Roumania. A famous beauty who was married at 17 into Roumania’s young dynasty, Marie singlehandedly transformed Roumania from a backwater into a force. The castle is Bran: a tall, quirky, ancient structure perched on high rocks overlooking the border between Roumania and its newly regained territory of Transylvania. The threat is…well, that is less clear. Shadowy figures, vague whispers, the fears of girls, dangers that may be only accidents. When Queen Marie calls, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes are as dubious as they are reluctant. But surely it won’t take long to shine light on this unlikely case of what would seem to be strigoi. Or, as they are known in the West…vampires. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
LONG DIVISION by Kiese Laymon (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sean Crisden
In 2013, after an on-stage meltdown during a nationally televised quiz contest, 14-year-old Citoyen “City” Coldson becomes an overnight YouTube celebrity. The next day, he’s sent to stay with his grandmother in the small coastal community of Melahatchie, where a young girl named Baize Shephard has disappeared. Before leaving, City is given a strange book called Long Division, which is set in 1985. This version of City travels into the future, and steals a laptop and cell phone from an orphaned teenage rapper called Baize Shephard. They take these items with them to 1964 to help another time-traveler they meet to protect his family from the Ku Klux Klan. City’s two stories converge in the work shed behind his grandmother’s house, where he discovers the key to Baize’s disappearance. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
DEAR SENTHURAN: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Akwaeke Emezi
In three critically acclaimed novels, Akwaeke Emezi has introduced readers to a landscape marked by familial tensions, Igbo belief systems, and a boundless search for what it means to be free. Now, in DEAR SENTHURAN, he reveals the harrowing yet resolute truths of their own life. Through candid, intimate correspondence with friends, lovers and family, Emezi traces the unfolding of a self and the unforgettable journey of a creative spirit stepping into power in the human world. Their story weaves through transformative decisions about their gender and body, their precipitous path to success as a writer, and the turmoil of relationships on an emotional, romantic and spiritual plane. Reviewed by Kayla Provencher.
TWILIGHT IN HAZARD: An Appalachian Reckoning by Alan Maimon (Sociology)
When Alan Maimon got the assignment in 2000 to report on life in rural Eastern Kentucky, his editor at the Louisville Courier-Journal told him to cover the region “like a foreign correspondent would.” Maimon had landed in a place in the vice grip of ecological devastation and a corporate-made opioid epidemic. While reporting on the intense religious allegiances, the bitter, bare-knuckled political rivalries, and the faltering attempts to emerge from a century-long coal-based economy, Maimon learns that everything --- and nothing --- you have heard about the region is true. And far from being a foreign place, it is a region whose generations-long struggles are driven by quintessentially American forces. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
- Click here to read an interview with Alan Maimon.
THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN by Ava Reid (Historical Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
In her forest-veiled pagan village, Évike is the only woman without power, making her an outcast clearly abandoned by the gods. The villagers blame her corrupted bloodline --- her father was a Yehuli man, one of the much-loathed servants of the fanatical king. When soldiers arrive from the Holy Order of Woodsmen to claim a pagan girl for the king’s blood sacrifice, Évike is betrayed by her fellow villagers and surrendered. But when monsters attack the Woodsmen and their captive en route, slaughtering everyone but Évike and the cold, one-eyed captain, they have no choice but to rely on each other. Except he’s no ordinary Woodsman --- he’s the disgraced prince, Gáspár Bárány, whose father needs pagan magic to consolidate his power. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
COME FLY THE WORLD: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke (History)
Audiobook available, read by Andi Arndt
Required to have a college education, speak two languages and possess the political savvy of a Foreign Service officer, a jet-age stewardess serving on iconic Pan Am between 1966 and 1975 also had to be between 5′3" and 5′9", between 105 and 140 pounds, and under 26 years of age at the time of hire. Julia Cooke’s intimate storytelling weaves together the real-life stories of a memorable cast of characters --- from small-town girl Lynne Totten, a science major who decided life in a lab was not for her, to Hazel Bowie, one of the relatively few Black stewardesses of the era --- as they embraced the liberation of their new jet-set life. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
KIN: A Memoir by Shawna Kay Rodenberg (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Natalie Duke
When Shawna Kay Rodenberg was four, her father spirited her family from their home in the hills of Eastern Kentucky to Minnesota, renouncing all of their earthly possessions to live in the Body, an off-the-grid End Times religious community. Disciplined harshly for her many infractions, Shawna was sexually abused by a predatory adult member of the community. Soon after the leader of the Body died and revelations of the sexual abuse came to light, her family returned to the same Kentucky mountains that their ancestors have called home for 300 years. Shawna ultimately leaves her mountain home but only as she masters a perilous balancing act between who she has been and who she will become. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
DOUBLE DOWN by Max Allan Collins (Hard-boiled Mystery/Thriller)
In the aftermath of a bloody heist, Nolan and Jon find themselves flying home to count their ill-gotten gains --- but a skyjacker taking the same flight has other plans. Meanwhile, in Des Moines, someone is offing members of the Mob-connected DiPreta family, and the Mob thinks maybe Nolan can make it stop. Maybe he can --- for a six-figure fee. Originally published as two separate novels (and unavailable in bookstores for 40 years!), DOUBLE DOWN finds Nolan and Jon pursuing the American dream in their inimitable criminal fashion. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE FUGITIVITIES by Jesse McCarthy (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Corey Allen
A young Black American raised in France and living in New York City, Jonah Winters tries on a couple of careers only to find that nothing feels right. And as Jonah struggles to envision his future, he feels pressured by his friends and family to put the struggles of his community before his search for self. But then a chance encounter with an ex-NBA player with his own regrets inspires Jonah to take his life into his own hands. Deciding to leave the country entirely, he sets off for Brazil. As he makes and breaks friendships on the way, reflects on his past relationships and learns to rely on himself, Jonah slowly forms an understanding of self, community and freedom that is rarely afforded to young Black men. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 15th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 15th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks available the week of June 14th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BATTLE FOR THE BIG TOP: P.T. Barnum, James Bailey, John Ringling and the Death-Defying Saga of the American Circus by Les Standiford (History)
In BATTLE FOR THE BIG TOP, New York Times bestselling author Les Standiford brings to life a remarkable era when three circus kings --- James Bailey, P.T. Barnum and John Ringling --- all vied for control of the vastly profitable and influential American Circus.
THE BRITTANYS by Brittany Ackerman (Fiction)
They're not the most popular freshmen at their Florida prep school, but at least everyone knows their name(s). The Brittanys.
CENTERSTAGE: My Most Fascinating Interviews — from A-Rod to Jay-Z by Michael Kay (Sports/Entertainment)
From the longtime host of the New York Yankees’ television broadcasts, ESPN Radio’s "The Michael Kay Show" and YES Network’s Emmy Award–winning "CenterStage" comes a selection of his most memorable interviews with the most intriguing personalities in sports and entertainment --- ranging from Jay-Z to Mike Tyson to Serena Williams to Adam Sandler to Bon Jovi to Larry David.
A GOOD KILL by John McMahon (Mystery/Thriller)
A GOOD KILL is an electrifying mystery featuring a troubled small-town police detective faced with three interwoven crimes that reveal sinister secrets about his community --- and the deaths of his family.
THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides (Psychological Thriller)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE SILENT PATIENT comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder and obsession.
MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS by Joshua Henkin (Fiction)
When Ohio-born Pru Steiner arrives in New York in 1976, she follows in a long tradition of young people determined to take the city by storm. But when she falls in love with and marries Spence Robin, her hotshot young Shakespeare professor, her life takes a turn she couldn’t have anticipated.
THE ROYAL SECRET by Andrew Taylor (Historical Thriller)
From the #1 bestselling author of THE LAST PROTECTOR and THE ASHES OF LONDON comes the next book in the phenomenally successful series following James Marwood and Cat Lovett during the time of King Charles II.
WIDESPREAD PANIC by James Ellroy (Historical Mystery)
From the modern master of noir comes a novel based on the real-life Hollywood fixer Freddy Otash, the malevolent monarch of the 1950s L.A. underground, and his Tinseltown tabloid Confidential magazine.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
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Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, June 25th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from June 11th to June 25th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides and MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS by Joshua Henkin.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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