|
Goodbye July, We Hardly Knew You
Why do the summer months fly by when the winter ones linger? January feels a lot longer than July, and they both have 31 days. Anyone else feel this way? Let's see if August can do better!
Last weekend I read DAMNATION SPRING, a debut novel by Ash Davidson. It’s set in 1977 in northern California in a logging town where Rich Gundersen’s family has chopped redwoods for generations. I confess to knowing very little about logging, and the early pages were a bit of an immersive tutorial for me. Yes, we have had trees taken down here at the house, and I know that tree climbing for logging is an art, and dangerous, but here I found myself learning a whole number of new terms while reading more carefully than usual. Rich and his much younger wife, Colleen, live near Damnation Grove with their young son. There are tall redwoods here, the kinds that will make a company a lot of money. Beyond Damnation Grove, there is another treasure trove: the 24-7 Ridge. Without telling his wife, Rich buys the 24-7 Ridge using all of their savings. After logging it, he hopes to bring his family the financial security that can only be dreamed about. But something else is going on.
For years, the logging company has been spreading herbicides to kill low-lying foliage that would get in the way of the logging process. And the spraying has been anything but exact, so often it is carried around the town. Colleen begins to suspect that perhaps something is awry with these chemicals that have been getting into the water supply, as well as the air. Why are so many women, like herself, having miscarriages? She is a midwife and has very troubling things happen at births. Why are they dealing with bloody noses after spraying happens? As these questions come up, a man from Colleen’s past comes in to test the water, and he is not looked upon kindly. Suddenly there are questions as to what is happening in this community that has people sided against each other. And Rich is wondering just what his investment really will cost.
There is lots to mull as you are reading. Since I finished it, I cannot stop thinking about it. I have heard Ash talk about this book a few times, and I am looking forward to talking to her more in depth about it in late August. It will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Megan Miranda, whose newly released novel, SUCH A QUIET PLACE, is a locked-in thriller. The setting is the idyllic neighborhood of Hollow's Edge, where everybody looks out for one another. The community is reeling from the murder of two neighbors, Brandon and Fiona Truett, and a year later, this cozy oasis has become stifling. The residents can't sell their houses, and tensions are still at a high. One of the neighbors, Ruby Fletcher, was found guilty of murdering the Truetts, but her conviction was overturned and she has waltzed back into the neighborhood. Now Hollow's Edge turns on itself, and threatening notes are being spread. As they start to wonder who the next victim will be, Harper Nash, who lived with Ruby, is determined to uncover the truth.
Megan talked to me about the conflict that can grow in small communities, as well as how she gained experience to write a book with such a closeted setting. I happened to nail her favorite lines in the book, which give nothing away. As Rebekkah Ross has narrated all of her adult thrillers, Megan explained what she brings to the storytelling. We also touched on the upcoming adaptation for THE LAST HOUSE GUEST, which is being developed as a series by Dakota and Elle Fanning’s Lewellen Pictures and MRC Television. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
Shari Lapena is back with a stunning new domestic thriller, NOT A HAPPY FAMILY. Fred and Sheila Merton are brutally murdered after a fraught Easter dinner with their three adult kids, each of whom stands to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of the siblings is more disturbed than anyone knew.
Our reviewer Sarah Rachel Egelman calls the book “a fast-paced whodunit” and says, “Lapena’s narrative is purely descriptive and written with an almost clinical detachment that mirrors the bloodless and unfeeling responses by those who knew Fred and Sheila best.... NOT A HAPPY FAMILY works well as a crime novel, and there are some fun surprises. Overall, Lapena has produced another engaging and entertaining read.” I have not read this yet, but I am so looking forward to it!
Word of Mouth Reminder
We’re giving away NOT A HAPPY FAMILY, along with BILLY SUMMERS by Stephen King, in our current Word of Mouth contest. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, August 6th at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win both these thrillers. We plan to feature our review of BILLY SUMMERS in next week’s newsletter.
Calling All William Kent Krueger Fans!
You also have until Friday, August 6th at noon ET to enter our contest for William Kent Krueger’s upcoming novel, LIGHTNING STRIKE, the highly anticipated prequel to his Cork O’Connor series releasing on August 24th. Kristin Hannah has wonderful advance praise for the book: “William Kent Krueger is a master storyteller at the top of his game with LIGHTNING STRIKE. A pitch perfect, richly imagined story that is both an edge-of-your-seat thriller and an evocative, emotionally-charged coming of age tale that explores the complex bonds between fathers and sons and the long simmering animosities of the past. This is a beautifully written novel that packs a powerful punch. I loved it.” Twenty-five readers will win an advance copy of LIGHTNING STRIKE, and one very lucky winner will be awarded signed copies of all 18 Cork O’Connor novels! Be sure to submit your entries before next Friday’s deadline. Please note that there is one entry per person.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
-
THE WOMEN’S MARCH: Jennifer Chiaverini’s new historical novel centers on the woman’s suffrage movement inspired by three courageous women who bravely risked their lives and liberty in the fight to win the vote.
-
INTIMACIES: In Katie Kitamura's national bestseller, an interpreter who is looking for a place to finally call home is drawn into simmering personal dramas and is soon pushed to the precipice.
-
FOR YOUR OWN GOOD: Soon to be a television series on HBO Max, Samantha Downing’s latest thriller is set at a prestigious private school --- complete with interfering parents, overeager students, and one teacher who just wants to teach them all a lesson.
-
FIERCE LITTLE THING: Miranda Beverly-Whittemore has penned a mesmerizing story of friendship and its reckonings. Taylor Jenkins Reid calls the book "moody, gripping, and profoundly haunting" and says, "Beverly-Whittemore renders a wild, treacherous world and invites us to stand perilously close to the edge."
Summer Reading Update
FIERCE LITTLE THING is one of the books we gave away in this week’s Summer Reading contests; the others were GHOSTS OF HARVARD by Francesca Serritella and RADAR GIRLS by Sara Ackerman. Next week’s prizes will be THE BARRISTER AND THE LETTER OF MARQUE by Todd M. Johnson and ONCE THERE WERE WOLVES by Charlotte McConaghy. The first contest of the week will be up on Tuesday, August 3rd at noon ET.
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
THE PAPER PALACE by Miranda Cowley Heller, July’s Barnes & Noble and Reese’s Book Club picks, is my latest Bets On selection. Click here to find out why it’s one of my favorite books of the year. This Tuesday, August 3rd at 3pm ET, Miranda will discuss her debut novel live on B&N’s Facebook page with Mackenzie Newcomb. I look forward to chatting with Miranda soon for a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll!
Our poll continues to ask about the format of the book you’re currently reading. Is it a hardcover, paperback, audiobook or e-book? We realize you may be juggling more than one book at the same time, so you’ll be able to select multiple formats when answering the question. Click here to let us know.
Leslie Cohen is the author of two novels, both of which we reviewed: THIS LOVE STORY WILL SELF-DESTRUCT and MY RIDE OR DIE. The latter, which released in April, revolves around two friends who decide to give up their search for a perfect man and devote their lives to each other --- but their careful plan soon begins to unravel with unexpected consequences. The book’s theme inspired Leslie to write a perceptive essay on female friendship during the pandemic. Her reflections of the past year and a half will especially resonate with mothers who suddenly found themselves spending a lot more time with their young children and relying on the love and support of their friends and family to help get them through each day. Click here to read Leslie's blog post.
The longlist for this year’s Man Booker Prize has been announced. Among the 13 books, referred to as the “Man Booker Dozen,” are SECOND PLACE by Rachel Cusk, THE SWEETNESS OF WATER by Nathan Harris, KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro, and GREAT CIRCLE by Maggie Shipstead. The shortlist of six books will be revealed on September 14th, followed by the announcement of the winner on November 3rd.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Myrna wrote, "I just read the book BROOD by Jackie Polzin. I think you would find it as enjoyable as I did. The author speaks of buying four chickens and raises them. She lives in Minneapolis. As described in the end notes, the author spreads a lot of wisdom and joy through her words. Described as 'a stunning and brilliantly insightful meditation on life and longing that will stand beside such modern classics as H IS FOR HAWK and GILEAD, BROOD rewards its readers with the richness of reflection and unrelenting hope.'" Thanks for your note. I remember hearing about this book. One of my huge problems is that I have to read ahead…so I rarely get to 'go back' and read what I missed. So glad you enjoyed it, though!
The Olympics: This week, as the Olympics unfolded, I had a few thoughts. First, I highly recommend watching The Weight of Gold, an HBO documentary that came out last year about Olympiads and the enormous pressure on these kids. Every interview from that documentary has stayed with me. Second, I found this piece from New York magazine, which shows in slow motion the floor routine that Simone Biles does. If you do not have your head in a good place, you could end up gravely injured from losing sight of yourself in a routine like that. Third, I think that every Olympic race should have one civilian athlete in it, so we can see just how much faster these athletes run and swim, etc. After the 2008 Olympics, Anderson Cooper swam a race against Michael Phelps. It was interesting to see just how fast Phelps was. You can watch it here.
And lastly, I have been watching a lot less this time around. I think it's a combination of the fact that the winners are known in advance, and there just does not seem to be the same level of enthusiasm. That said, when I do watch, I have loved seeing the athletes' families cheering them en masse at home. I think that Caeleb Dressel watching his family at home after his win, and breaking down crying, was quite a lovely moment. These people are competing without family and friends there to support them, and the games were touch-and-go for so long. It’s...a lot.
"Billions": Season five will be back on Showtime on Sunday, September 5th. Here’s a trailer in case you forgot how vicious everyone is.
Linwood Barclay: I know a lot of you are fans of Linwood’s books. I saw on his Facebook page that it’s now 12 weeks — three whole months — that FIND YOU FIRST has been on The Star’s Canadian Fiction bestseller list. It was #1 and is holding now at #3. This is pretty cool for us to see about a favorite author. If you have not read the book yet, it’s a Bets On selection. You can see why I loved it here. Also, you can watch my interview with Linwood here and listen to the podcast here.
Harry Potter turns 41 on Saturday: Crazy, right? I still am 27. It is amazing how the boy wizard has not figured out how not to age, and I did.
Greg is in Oregon on a lighthouse photo trip, and Cory has a weekend of plans lined up. I love that earlier this week he told us he would be free on Monday night for dinner; his dance card is booked until then.
Here there are lots of peaches to be made into pies. Or barbecue sauce. Or salsa. The other night, I made a peach raspberry pie and a peach raspberry crumble. My husband was very happy that I put oatmeal in the topping on the latter, which made it legit eating for breakfast. Last week, I served peaches around a burrata with peach vinegar on them and fresh mint (pictured above); I definitely want to do that again. I still have more than a box of peaches to play with, so if you have any peachy ideas, send them my way. My wise friend, Beverley, also reminded me that I can freeze the peaches without making them into a pie. I need wise friends like this. Oh, and though Joyce Maynard has told me that making pie crust is very easy, I am not adept at this, so the Trader Joe’s pie crust is just fine with me!
I also am looking forward to just chillaxing. We have a number of author interviews lined up over the next few weeks, so I can see that I will be folding down a lot of pages and making interview notes. Right now I am reading WE ARE THE BRENNANS by Tracey Lange, and I am enjoying it! More on that next week.
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: NOT A HAPPY FAMILY by Shari Lapena
NOT A HAPPY FAMILY by Shari Lapena (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Ellen Archer
Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there, and Fred and Sheila Merton certainly are rich. But even all their money can't protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mertons are brutally murdered after a fraught Easter dinner with their three adult kids. They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of the siblings is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you'd know. Wouldn't you? Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE WOMEN’S MARCH
by Jennifer Chiaverini
THE WOMEN'S MARCH: A Novel of the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession by Jennifer Chiaverini (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
Twenty-five-year-old Alice Paul returns to her native New Jersey after several years on the front lines of the suffrage movement in Great Britain. Nine states have already granted women voting rights, but only a constitutional amendment will secure the vote for all. To inspire support for the campaign, Alice organizes a magnificent procession down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, the day before the inauguration of President-elect Woodrow Wilson, a firm anti-suffragist. On March 3, 1913, the glorious march commences, but negligent police allow vast crowds of belligerent men to block the parade route --- jeering, shouting threats, assaulting the marchers --- endangering not only the success of the demonstration but the women’s very lives. Reviewed by Rebecca Wasniak.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Special Contest: Enter to Win an Advance Copy of
LIGHTNING STRIKE by William Kent Krueger,
Releasing August 24th --- Plus a HUGE Grand Prize!
From William Kent Krueger, the author of the instant New York Times bestseller THIS TENDER LAND, comes LIGHTNING STRIKE, a powerful prequel to his acclaimed Cork O’Connor series. This highly anticipated novel is about fathers and sons, long-simmering conflicts in a small Minnesota town, and the events that echo through youth and shape our lives forever. We are giving 25 readers the opportunity to win an advance copy of the book, which releases on August 24th. In addition, one Grand Prize winner will receive signed copies of all 18 Cork O’Connor mysteries! To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, August 6th at noon ET.
LIGHTNING STRIKE by William Kent Krueger (Historical Mystery)
Aurora is a small town nestled in the ancient forest alongside the shores of Minnesota’s Iron Lake. In the summer of 1963, it is the whole world to 12-year-old Cork O’Connor, its rhythms as familiar as his own heartbeat. But when Cork stumbles upon the body of a man he revered hanging from a tree in an abandoned logging camp, it is the first in a series of events that will cause him to question everything he took for granted about his hometown, his family and himself.
Cork’s father, Liam O’Connor, is Aurora’s sheriff and it is his job to confirm that the man’s death was the result of suicide, as all the evidence suggests. In the shadow of his father’s official investigation, Cork begins to look for answers on his own. Together, father and son face the ultimate test of choosing between what their heads tell them is true and what their hearts know is right.
In this masterful story of a young man and a town on the cusp of change, beloved novelist William Kent Krueger shows that some mysteries can be solved even as others surpass our understanding.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read William Kent Krueger's bio.
- Click here to visit William Kent Krueger's website.
- Connect with William Kent Krueger on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE PAPER PALACE by Miranda Cowley Heller
July's Barnes & Noble and Reese's Book Club Picks
THE PAPER PALACE by Miranda Cowley Heller (Fiction)
THE PAPER PALACE by Miranda Cowley Heller came to my attention when Reese Witherspoon selected it, and then it debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at #1. I love being on top of upcoming books, but this one was not on my radar. That said, once it was in my hands, I devoured it in 24 hours, not going to sleep until 2am and turning on the light more than once to say, “One more chapter.” It worked for me for all the things one loves in a book --- setting, timing and characters.
This captivating novel is set on Cape Cod, but not the Cape that I have read a lot about. There are more lakes and ponds than beaches. The houses are not palatial; in fact, where the Bishop family lives, it’s all utilitarian like a summer camp, where essentials are covered but overblown chic is missing. There is a main house and several smaller cabins. The family has dubbed it the "Paper Palace,” referencing the construction of the cabins with some subpar materials that have led to their being patched again and again. There’s a private lake and a few public ones. The family escapes there each summer. Setting matters a lot here; it sets the tone.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit the Reese's Book Club website.
- Click here for details on Barnes & Noble's virtual Book Club event on Tuesday, August 3rd at 3pm ET.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
Featured Review: INTIMACIES by Katie Kitamura
INTIMACIES by Katie Kitamura (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Traci Kato-Kiriyama
An interpreter has come to The Hague to escape New York and work at the International Court. A woman of many languages and identities, she is looking for a place to finally call home. She's drawn into simmering personal dramas: her lover, Adriaan, is separated from his wife but still entangled in his marriage. Her friend, Jana, witnesses a seemingly random act of violence, a crime the interpreter becomes increasingly obsessed with as she befriends the victim's sister. And she's pulled into an explosive political controversy when she’s asked to interpret for a former president accused of war crimes. Soon she’s pushed to the precipice, where betrayal and heartbreak threaten to overwhelm her, forcing her to decide what she wants from her life. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: FOR YOUR OWN GOOD
by Samantha Downing
FOR YOUR OWN GOOD by Samantha Downing (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David Pittu
Teddy Crutcher has won Teacher of the Year at the prestigious Belmont Academy, home to the best and brightest. He says his wife couldn’t be more proud --- though no one has seen her in a while. Teddy really can’t be bothered with a few mysterious deaths on campus that are looking more and more like murder or the student digging a little too deep into Teddy’s personal life. His main focus is pushing these kids to their full academic potential. All he wants is for his colleagues --- and the endlessly meddlesome parents --- to stay out of his way. If not, well, they’ll get what they deserve. It’s really too bad that sometimes excellence can come at such a high cost. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: FIERCE LITTLE THING
by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
FIERCE LITTLE THING by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
Saskia was a damaged, lonely teenager when she arrived at the lakeside commune called Home. She was immediately taken with Abraham, Home's charismatic leader --- the North Star to Saskia --- and the four other teens who lived there, her best and only friends. Two decades later, Saskia is shuttered in her Connecticut estate, estranged from the others. Her carefully walled life is torn open by threatening letters. Unless she and her former friends return to the land in rural Maine, the terrible thing they did as teenagers --- their last-ditch attempt to save Home --- will be revealed. From vastly different lives, the five return to confront their blackmailer and reckon with the horror that split them apart. How far will they go to bury their secret forever? Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 17th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer is here! 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, August 3rd at noon ET.
This year’s featured titles include:
Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.
Bookreporter.com’s 2021 Virtual Vacation Reads:
Books Set in Getaway Locations
Bookreporter has a way for you to virtually travel with our list of books set in vacation locales. Escape to idyllic spots like Nantucket, Cape Cod, Malibu, the Catskills, Charleston and Palm Beach --- along with many others --- in our 2021 Virtual Vacation Reads feature. Pick your book(s) to embark on the summer vacation you've been dreaming of. You’ll only have to figure out how to send postcards!
Please note: For your convenience, we have organized these books both by location and alphabetically by title. We also have included links to indie bookstores that are at or near each of these locations, so you can pay them a virtual visit as well! May we suggest that you buy these books from them?
Click here to see our 2021 Virtual Vacation Reads feature.
From left to right: Megan Abbott, Chandler Baker, Ash Davidson
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.
Monday, August 2nd at 7pm ET: Books Are Magic: Megan Abbott will be in conversation with Rumaan Alam about her mesmerizing new novel, THE TURNOUT.
Monday, August 2nd at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Chandler Baker will talk to Sara DiVello (a yoga teacher by day and mystery writer by night) about her new work of fiction, THE HUSBANDS.
Tuesday, August 3rd at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Barnes & Noble will host a Facebook Live discussion for their July book club pick, THE PAPER PALACE, featuring Miranda Cowley Heller in conversation with Mackenzie Newcomb.
Tuesday, August 3rd at 7pm ET: BookPeople: Join BookPeople for a virtual celebration of Chandler Baker's THE HUSBANDS. Chandler will be in conversation with Angie Kim, whose debut novel is MIRACLE CREEK.
Tuesday, August 3rd at 7pm ET: Books & Books: Charlotte McConaghy will be in conversation with Laurie Frankel about her new novel, ONCE THERE WERE WOLVES.
Tuesday, August 3rd at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Megan Abbott will be in conversation with Gillian Flynn about her latest novel, THE TURNOUT.
Tuesday, August 3rd at 9pm ET: Vroman's Bookstore: Edgar Award winner Naomi Hirahara will discuss her eye-opening and poignant new mystery, CLARK AND DIVISION, the story of a young woman searching for the truth about her revered older sister's death.
Wednesday, August 4th at 7pm ET: Books Are Magic: Join Andrea Bartz for the virtual launch of her new novel, WE WERE NEVER HERE. She will be in conversation with Caroline Kepnes.
Wednesday, August 4th 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 talk to Lauren Willig, whose most recent novel is BAND OF SISTERS.
Thursday, August 5th at 7pm ET: An Unlikely Story Bookstore and Café: Megan Abbott joins An Unlikely Story for a virtual event to introduce her new irresistible thriller, THE TURNOUT. She will be in conversation with Alafair Burke, the internationally bestselling author of THE BETTER SISTER and THE WIFE.
Thursday, August 5th at 7pm ET: Watermark Books & Café: Watermark Books & Café invites you to attend a virtual event with Ash Davidson, who will talk to Sarah Smarsh about her debut novel, DAMNATION SPRING.
Thursday, August 5th at 8pm ET: Women & Children First: Join Women & Children First for a joint virtual reading with Katie Kitamura (INTIMACIES) and Dana Spiotta (WAYWARD) introducing their new novels.
"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:
-
Megan Abbott (THE TURNOUT)
-
Chandler Baker (THE HUSBANDS)
-
Ash Davidson (DAMNATION SPRING)
-
Miranda Cowley Heller (THE PAPER PALACE)
-
William Kent Krueger (LIGHTNING STRIKE)
-
Taylor Jenkins Reid (MALIBU RISING)
-
Jonathan Santlofer (THE LAST MONA LISA)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE TREACHERY by Brian Freeman (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Brick
Three years ago, Jason Bourne embarked on a mission in Estonia with his partner and lover, a fiery Treadstone agent code-named Nova. Their job was to rescue a Russian double agent who’d been smuggled out of St. Petersburg in the midst of an FSB manhunt. They failed. The Russian died at the hands of a shadowy assassin known only by the nickname Lennon. Now everything has changed for Bourne. Nova is gone, killed in a mass shooting in Las Vegas. Bourne is a lone operative, working in the shadows for Treadstone, when he’s called in for a new mission in London --- to prevent another assassination masterminded by Lennon. But nothing about this mission is what it seems. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE HEATHENS: A Quinn Colson Novel by Ace Atkins (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by MacLeod Andrews
Before he was an Army Ranger who came home to become Tibbehah County Sheriff and take down a corrupt system, Quinn Colson was a kid who got into a lot of trouble. So when juvenile delinquent TJ Byrd insists that she doesn’t know who killed her mother --- an unreliable addict who has disappeared --- Quinn is inclined to believe her. But no one else does. When she senses she’s about to take the fall for her mother’s murder, TJ, her boyfriend, her best friend and her nine-year-old brother go on the run. As Quinn’s friend and former deputy, U.S. Marshal Lillie Virgil, tracks the kids across a trail of burglaries, stolen cars and even a kidnapping, intent on bringing TJ to justice, Quinn sets out to find the truth back in Tibbehah. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
WHILE WE WERE DATING by Jasmine Guillory (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Janina Edwards
When Ben Stephens lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star Anna Gardiner, it’s hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she’s also down to earth and considerate, and he can’t help flirting a little. Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she’s booked her next movie. However, she didn’t expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. Their light-hearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they’ve barely shared with those closest to them. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
A PLACE LIKE HOME: Stories by Rosamunde Pilcher (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Barbara Barnes, Eilidh Beaton, Ellie Heydon, Jasmine Blackborow and Jilly Bond
A PLACE LIKE HOME is a collection of short stories by internationally bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher, never before published in book form. It contains 15 stories, which range from “The Holiday,” in which a wife surprises her husband of 25 years with a holiday full of Mediterranean sunshine, red rocks and blue seas in an effort to rekindle the romance they had before children; “The Eye of Love,” which takes the reader to a village by the sea where old flames meet again; and “A Place Like Home,” where a lonely young woman goes to recuperate in the Scottish countryside after a brief illness. The fruit orchards and fresh sea air offer much-needed respite --- but not as much as the handsome, mysterious farmer she meets. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
TALL MEN, SHORT SHORTS: The 1969 NBA Finals: Wilt, Russ, Lakers, Celtics, and a Very Young Sports Reporter by Leigh Montville (Sports)
Audiobook available, read by Leigh Montville
Bill Russell and his juggernaut Boston Celtics, winners of 10 the previous 12 NBA championships, squeak through one more playoff run and land in the Finals again. Russell’s opponent? The fearsome 7’1” next-generation superstar, Wilt Chamberlain, recently traded to the LA Lakers to form the league’s first dream team. The 1969 Celtics are at the end of their dominance. The 1969 Lakers are unstoppable. Add to the mix one newly minted reporter. Covering the epic series is a wide-eyed young sports writer named Leigh Montville, who is ordered by his editor at The Boston Globe to get on a plane to L.A. to write about his luminous heroes. What follows is a raucous, colorful, joyous account of one of the greatest seven-game series in NBA history. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (www.RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com).
UNTHINKABLE by Brad Parks (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jeff Cummings and Amanda Stribling
Nate Lovejoy is a self-proclaimed nobody, a stay-at-home dad who doesn’t believe he’s important to anyone but his wife and their two daughters. So it’s a shock when members of a powerful secret society kidnap and spirit Nate away to a mansion at the behest of their leader, Vanslow DeGange, who claims to know the future. He’s foreseen that a billion people could die --- unless Nate acts. It seems improbable, especially given what DeGange says will set this mass casualty incident in motion: a lawsuit against the biggest power company in Virginia, being brought by Nate’s wife, Jenny. Nate quickly smells a scam being perpetrated by the power company. But at every turn, it becomes apparent there’s more to DeGange’s gift than Nate wants to acknowledge. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
LIZZIE & DANTE by Mary Bly (Romance)
Audiobook available, read by Carlotta Brentan
On the heels of a difficult break-up and a devastating diagnosis, Shakespeare scholar Lizzie Delford decides to take one last lavish vacation on Elba with her best friend and his movie-star boyfriend. When Lizzie sneaks off to the public beach, she meets a sardonic chef named Dante; his battered dog, Lily; and his wry daughter, Etta, a 12-year-old desperate for a mother. While Dante shows Lizzie the island’s secrets, and Etta dazzles with her irreverent humor, Lizzie is confronted with a dilemma. Is it right to fall in love if time is short? Is it better to find a mother briefly, or to have no mother at all? And most pressingly, are the delicacies of life worth tasting, even if you will get to savor them only for a short while? Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
A PSALM FOR THE WILD-BUILT: A Monk and Robot Book by Becky Chambers (Science Fiction/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Emmett Grosland
It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend. One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They're going to need to ask it a lot. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
STRANGE BEASTS OF CHINA written by Yan Ge, translated by Jeremy Tiang (Metaphysical Fiction/Mystery)
In the fictional Chinese city of Yong’an, an amateur cryptozoologist is commissioned to uncover the stories of its fabled beasts. These creatures live alongside humans in near-inconspicuousness --- save their greenish skin, serrated earlobes and strange birthmarks. Aided by her elusive former professor and his enigmatic assistant, our narrator sets off to document each beast, and is slowly drawn deeper into a mystery that threatens her very sense of self. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
BETWEEN TWO KINGS: A Sequel to The Three Musketeers written by Alexandre Dumas, translated by Lawrence Ellsworth (Historical Fiction/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by John Lee
This brand-new translation of BETWEEN TWO KINGS immediately picks up the story and themes of BLOOD ROYAL, where d’Artagnan tries to thwart destiny by saving England’s Charles I. Now, he will be instrumental in the restoration of his son, Charles II, the first of the two kings of the title. Disappointed in the irresolution of young Louis XIV, d’Artagnan takes a leave of absence from the King’s Musketeers and ventures to England with a bold plan to hoist Charles II onto his throne, a swashbuckling escapade in which he is unwittingly assisted by his old comrade Athos. D’Artagnan returns triumphant to France, where he is recalled to service by the second king, Louis XIV, who is now finally ready to take full advantage of the extraordinary talents of his officer of musketeers. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE CAPTAIN & ME: On and Off the Field with Thurman Munson by Ron Blomberg and Dan Epstein (Sports/Memoir)
As back-to-back No. 1 draft picks for the New York Yankees, Ron Blomberg and Thurman Munson made for an odd couple. One was a good-looking, gregarious kid from Atlanta who cheerfully talked anyone’s ear off at the slightest provocation; the other was a dumpy, grumpy dude from the Midwest rust belt who was about as fond of making idle chit-chat as he was of shaving. Despite the surface differences, the two men would form a close attachment as they ignited a youth movement with the 1970s Yankees. Now, over 40 years after Munson's shocking death in a plane crash at age 32, Blomberg opens up to author Dan Epstein about the beloved Yankees captain in an extraordinary memoir that reaches far beyond baseball. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (www.RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com).
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on August 3rd
Below are some notable titles releasing on August 3rd 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 August 2nd, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BILLY SUMMERS by Stephen King (Thriller)
From legendary storyteller and #1 bestseller Stephen King, whose “restless imagination is a power that cannot be contained” (The New York Times Book Review), comes a thrilling new novel about a good guy in a bad job.
BLIND TIGER by Sandra Brown (Historical Thriller)
The year 1920 comes in with a roar in this rousing and suspenseful novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown. Prohibition is the new law of the land, but murder, mayhem, lust and greed are already institutions in the Moonshine Capital of Texas.
BREATHE by Joyce Carol Oates (Fiction)
Part intimately detailed love story, part horror story rooted in real life, BREATHE is an exploration of hauntedness rooted in the domesticity of marital love, as well as our determination both to be faithful to the beloved and to survive the trauma of loss.
CLARK AND DIVISION by Naomi Hirahara (Historical Mystery)
Set in 1944 Chicago, Edgar Award winner Naomi Hirahara’s eye-opening and poignant new mystery, the story of a young woman searching for the truth about her revered older sister's death, brings to focus the struggles of one Japanese American family released from mass incarceration at Manzanar during World War II.
CLASS ACT: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods (Thriller/Adventure)
Stone Barrington takes down old and new enemies in this latest thriller from perennial fan favorite Stuart Woods.
DAMNATION SPRING by Ash Davidson (Fiction)
An epic, immersive debut, DAMNATION SPRING is the deeply human story of a Pacific Northwest logging town wrenched in two by a mystery that threatens to derail its way of life.
THE HUSBANDS by Chandler Baker (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
From Chandler Baker, the New York Times bestselling author of WHISPER NETWORK, comes THE HUSBANDS, a novel that asks: To what lengths will a woman go for a little more help from her husband?
ONCE THERE WERE WOLVES by Charlotte McConaghy (Fiction)
From the author of the beloved national bestseller MIGRATIONS comes a pulse-pounding new novel set in the wild Scottish Highlands.
THE READING LIST by Sara Nisha Adams (Fiction)
THE READING LIST is an unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.
SONGBIRDS by Christy Lefteri (Fiction)
From the prize-winning author of THE BEEKEEPER OF ALEPPO comes SONGBIRDS, a stunning novel about the disappearance of a Sri Lankan domestic worker and how the most vulnerable people find their voices.
THE TURNOUT by Megan Abbott (Thriller)
Bestselling and award-winning author Megan Abbott has written a revelatory and mesmerizing new novel set against the hothouse of a family-run ballet studio.
WE ARE THE BRENNANS by Tracey Lange (Fiction)
In the vein of Mary Beth Keane’s ASK AGAIN, YES and Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney's THE NEST, Tracey Lange’s WE ARE THE BRENNANS explores the staying power of shame --- and the redemptive power of love --- in an Irish Catholic family torn apart by secrets.
WE WERE NEVER HERE by Andrea Bartz (Psychological Thriller)
A backpacking trip has deadly consequences in this “eerie psychological thriller...with alluring locales, Hitchcockian tension and possibly the best pair of female leads since Thelma and Louise” (BookPage), from the bestselling author of THE LOST NIGHT and THE HERD.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Book Formats
What is the format of the book you are currently reading? Please check all that apply, as we know many of you may be reading more than one book.
-
Hardcover
-
Trade paperback
-
Mass market paperback
-
E-book
-
Digital audiobook
-
Audiobook on disc
-
I am not reading any books right now.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, August 6th 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 July 23rd to August 6th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of BILLY SUMMERS by Stephen King and NOT A HAPPY FAMILY by Shari Lapena.
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.
|
