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Bookreporter. Just Bookreporter.
I always am amused at how many people call us The Book Reporter or Book Reporter or The Bookreporter. We thought our name was pretty simple, but oh, how many times I have edited it!
Last weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed reading SMILE: The Story of a Face by Sarah Ruhl, and I am so looking forward to interviewing her on Tuesday. Austin is a huge admirer of her work; she is a playwright, and he loves the theater. He is going to join me for the interview. Then I skipped over to start reading BOURDAIN: The Definitive Oral Biography by Laurie Woolever, which is told in such a way that I am planning to read it in bits and bites to savor Tony’s story as long as I can.
There are times when I get a sneak peek at a book long before it comes out. That is what happened with Tom Perrotta’s TRACY FLICK CAN’T WIN, which doesn't release until June 7th. My good friend Wendy Sheanin slipped me a super early copy, and I completely disappeared into it last Saturday afternoon. Here, Tracy Flick is in line to become the new public school principal in a small town in New Jersey when the reigning principal, Jack Weede, announces his retirement to explore the country with his wife in a Winnebago. For a few moments, it looks like Tracy has it all nailed, and then… Well, Perrotta flips the story around again and again…and again.
There were many laugh-out-loud moments, but more than that, I was in awe of Perrotta’s storytelling, which is both comic and so truthful. He shifted the story from chapter to chapter, which ramped up the pace and the action, and it made me just keep reading. He made me question the town’s heroes, as well as those with all the power. But in the end, it does feel like everyone got their due. Still, it was quite a rocky and brilliantly circuitous road to getting that done. Folks, this is my first Bookreporter.com Bets On selection of 2022!
Now I am reading BEWILDERMENT by Richard Powers, which is Oprah's latest book club pick. I love the story and the relationship between the father and son. It has me questioning how many times we judge children and measure them on their ability to fit in, instead of their ability to feel special. I am so looking forward to reading more.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Lisa Unger, whose new psychological thriller is LAST GIRL GHOSTED. The book begins with a story that many people on the dating scene will be familiar with. A young woman meets the “perfect guy” on a dating app. They go on a date, then another, and she falls head over heels for him. But then he disappears, and she's left ghosted. It's as if he never existed at all --- no social media or working phone. That’s what happens to Wren, but soon she learns that she’s not the only woman this guy ghosted. There’s something else going on here as all of the other women who dated him have gone missing.
In our interview, Lisa explains how apps have changed dating life and what that means for those entering the dating world. She also talks about how she developed this story and its characters, as well as what she has on tap next, even as she’s in the midst of a busy book tour. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
We have our review from Ray Palen, who says, "Without giving anything away, I will simply state that before Wren can discover who and what Adam really is, she will have to look into the mirror and deal with her own past and secrets. Lisa Unger drops enough tidbits and red herrings to keep the wheels turning for the armchair detective reader. LAST GIRL GHOSTED is so intricately plotted that this will be no easy task."
“In Case You Missed Them…and a Look Ahead” Feature & Contest
A couple of months ago, you may remember we took “a look ahead” to LAST GIRL GHOSTED in our inaugural “In Case You Missed It…and a Look Ahead” feature, where we also let you know about Lisa’s previous novel, CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45, “in case you missed it.” The feature is back this week but with a couple of exciting twists.
We are bringing to your attention THREE previous psychological thrillers by Kimberly Belle (“In Case You Missed Them”) and giving you a chance to win one of them. All you have to do is read the plot summary of each title --- THE MARRIAGE LIE, DEAR WIFE and STRANGER IN THE LAKE --- and let us know which one you would like to read the most. Three copies of each book will be given away, so there will be nine winners total. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, October 22nd at noon ET.
We also “look ahead” to Kimberly’s upcoming domestic thriller, MY DARLING HUSBAND, which releases on December 28th.
Amor Towles, the bestselling author of RULES OF CIVILITY and A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW, is back with THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY. Set in 1950s America, this highly anticipated third novel is this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Jenna raves, “Not only is it one of the most beautifully written books I have ever picked up, it’s a story about hope, friendship and companionship in a time when we need it so much." She goes on to say, “Towles brilliantly captures the inner reality of each [character] with profound and poetic prose. All eight of them are incredible forces in literature."
According to our reviewer Harvey Freedenberg, “The story features an appealing cast of young characters and an ingeniously complicated plot… There are ample moments of suspense, humor and even pathos… THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY fully engages the reader’s sympathies with the Watson brothers and Woolly, and keeps one guessing about the next scheme Duchess will pull from his bag of tricks.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
Fall Preview Update
In this week’s Fall Preview contests, we gave away THE BOOK OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman, THE REDEMPTION OF BOBBY LOVE by Bobby and Cheryl Love with Lori L. Tharps, and TRUE CRIME STORY by Joseph Knox. We wrap up these contests next week with FAYE, FARAWAY by Helen Fisher, the aforementioned SMILE: The Story of a Face by Sarah Ruhl, and WHEN TWO FEATHERS FELL FROM THE SKY by Margaret Verble. The first contest of the week will be up on Tuesday, October 12th at noon ET.
Quick Takes on Regular Features
Our New in Paperback roundups are now available for October. We’re featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as Harlan Coben (WIN), Elin Hilderbrand (TROUBLES IN PARADISE), Linwood Barclay (FIND YOU FIRST), and Marie Benedict (THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE); nonfiction titles, including ELEANOR by David Michaelis and I’LL BE SEEING YOU by Elizabeth Berg; and paperback originals like THE WICKED WIDOW by Beatriz Williams and THE SECRET OF SNOW by Viola Shipman.
It was announced this week that THE DEATH OF JANE LAWRENCE by Caitlin Starling is October’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. Set in a dark-mirror version of post-war England, this Crimson Peak-inspired story assembles, and then upends, every expectation set in place by Shirley Jackson and REBECCA. On Tuesday, November 9th at 3pm ET, B&N will host a virtual event featuring Starling, who will be in conversation with Victoria Lee. Click here to register. We will feature our review in next week’s newsletter.
SANKOFA by Chibundu Onuzo is this month’s Reese’s Book Club pick. Here’s what Reese has to say about the book: “Get ready for a life-changing adventure! Our October Pick…follows one woman’s quest to unpack her identity after finding out the father she’s never met is the former president of a West African nation. In this stirring narrative, Anna sets out to meet her father and a fascinating voyage unravels layered with humor, emotion and questions of belonging. Will Anna’s journey to self-discovery prove to be more than just a trip around the globe?”
October’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick is WE ARE NOT LIKE THEM by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza. Told from alternating perspectives, the book is about the lifelong bond between two women --- one Black and one white --- whose friendship is indelibly altered by a tragic event. Piazza told “GMA,” “Their friendship is thrown into turmoil and they have to confront race for the first time.” Pride added, “As you can imagine, there's lots to think about and there's lots to talk about with your book club. And we hope you love the book.” Don’t miss our review later this month.
For more October selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
Let us know by Friday, October 22nd at noon ET what books you’ve read in our Word of Mouth contest, and you’ll be in the running to win THE JUDGE’S LIST by John Grisham and OH WILLIAM! by Elizabeth Strout. We plan to review both books on the 22nd.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
Our new poll asks how interested you are in reading a novel that has a pandemic theme. Click here to let us know your feelings about this.
Our previous poll asked which features on Bookreporter you love the most. Here are your top five faves: Coming Soon (72%), Seasonal Contests (59%), Reviews (58%), Bookreporter.com Bets On (57%), and Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks (54%). Click here for the complete breakdown. We will look at these results closely as we make our plans for 2022, so thank you to all who voted!
This year's Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Abdulrazak Gurnah “for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents." Gurnah was born in 1948 and grew up on the island of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean, but he arrived in England as a refugee at the end of the 1960s. He has published 10 novels and a number of short stories. The theme of the refugee’s disruption runs throughout his work.
Also announced this week are the National Book Award finalists. They include CLOUD CUCKOO LAND by Anthony Doerr (Fiction), A LITTLE DEVIL IN AMERICA: Notes in Praise of Black Performance, by Hanif Abdurraqib (Nonfiction), FLOATERS by Martín Espada (Poetry), THE TWILIGHT ZONE by Nona Fernández, translated from the Spanish by Natasha Wimmer (Translated Literature), and LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB by Malinda Lo (Young People's Literature). The winners will be revealed on November 17th during a ceremony that will be held virtually. You can sign up here to watch it.
This is your last weekly newsletter reminder to sign up for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” afternoon event, which will take place this Wednesday, October 13th at 2pm ET. I will present a number of titles releasing between October 12th and November 2nd, along with a few from December, that we are especially excited about. Please keep in mind that attendees of the live event will be invited to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading. Those who do will be eligible to win a prize! Be sure to register here by 1pm ET on Wednesday the 13th, and we will send you a list of the featured titles before the event. I look forward to "seeing you" there!
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Eleanor wrote, "I’m a big fan. Many of your Bets On selections are what I choose for my book club."
Julie wrote, “I took the poll to tell you what I like best about Bookreporter, but my favorite part to vote on was left out, and that is News & Pop Culture! You give the best news about what's coming to our TV screens and in the movies. And I enjoy your honest comments about what you liked and didn't like. I find myself going to this section first. I realize this site is all about books, but I think this section really enriches Bookreporter and adds a level of interest that other book sites don't have.”
Thanks, Julie! Let me share how this section came about. We were on the Outer Banks for Christmas in 2014, and we were watching a lot of movie screeners. I thought, "What if we included a section about what I was watching, and we added commentary so that even if people did not want to pick up a new book, they would open the newsletter to see this section?" From that moment I banged out some copy. We officially named it "News & Pop Culture" at some point shortly after that. And so now, almost seven years later, that section is a mainstay. As we look back over our last 25 years, I need to note that moment as something to earmark!
"Maid": Last week, I talked about the preview of the series that I had seen. I binged five episodes on Friday night (rewatching the first one) and then five more on Saturday. And Sunday night, I rewatched the final two episodes. The series is really powerful, with lots of moments that give one thought to the kinds of social services offered today --- and how hard it is to dig oneself out from a really dark, hard place. I am looking forward to interviewing Stephanie Land next Thursday. On Facebook, she has been sharing some photos with her daughter that were taken during those same years that are portrayed in the series.
"Billions": Wow, that was a great season finale! I do wonder if this show will now jump the shark, but I think I still am obsessed enough with the drama to follow the new season (its sixth) in January. I am sharing nothing more lest I give anything away to those who have not seen it.
"Ted Lasso": The season finale is tonight. I love this show and am looking forward to seeing what happens. Read this AFTER you watch; spoilers are inside.
Tony Bennett on "60 Minutes": Julia in my book group posted this interview the other night. I was caught up in Tom Brady’s return to Gillette Stadium, which NBC managed to make into an hour-long pregame celebration, so I missed "60 Minutes." This segment on Bennett is both heartwarming and sad. To see this man light up and sing is amazing. And then to see what happens when the music ends is devastating. I am so very, very glad that this piece was done. It captured one very special moment. And then be sure to watch "60 Minutes Overtime" to hear Anderson Cooper talk about the story behind the story.
Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Series to Be Adapted by A&E: I read this news this week, which did surprise me as I know how adamant Sue was about not having her books adapted for the screen. My son Greg said this on hearing the news: “Honestly, not sure if I could watch…the entire thing exists in my head and I don’t want to tarnish it.”
Our office is closed on Monday, a tradition since we started the company. Many companies do not close for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day, but my boys were young when the company started. As this was a school holiday, I wanted to spend time with them. I love giving the staff a chance to stop and breathe between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. I have no big plans, though I have to say a few hours this weekend filing and cleaning my office would be a very wise idea. We have a LOT planned for the next few months, and I need to clear the decks!
Greg is off to Puerto Rico tonight for a quick three-day weekend trip to shoot some lighthouses there. He has now seen 700 of them around the world and will see about 10 more this weekend. I am really proud of him; he sold a lighthouse photo to the post office for a project that they are doing, and he sold another photo to a UK publisher for a book cover. He is quite talented, so this is really nice to see.
Tonight we are headed to the theater to see the new Bond film. We have not been to a theater to see a movie since Ford v Ferrari in 2019. I tried to get IMAX tickets, but there were no theaters showing it in IMAX nearby. A friend saw it in IMAX the other night and assured me that I am not missing anything. I confess to having a crush on Daniel Craig, and I really love the Bond franchise. This may be the first really big post-COVID movie. It was supposed to come out in April 2020 to coincide with the launch of the latest version of the Land Rover Defender. Here is a teaser for the film featuring the Defender in April 2020 and another. While we have stunt driving going on, here’s a trailer for the UK launch on September 30th. And finally, here's the US movie trailer.
I have to say that the name of the film really sums up what has happened since March 2020: No Time to Die. With a title like that, I feel it could not have been marketed in theaters any sooner without getting some social media blowback. And WHY have I not heard anyone say anything about how wry the title feels for our times? As for Craig, he will move from the big screen to Broadway to star in "Macbeth." He goes from "Bond. James Bond." to “Out, damned spot; out, I say.” At some point, the guy will get a gig where he does not have to constantly repeat himself.
Wait, harkening back to what I said when I opened this newsletter, here’s my take on Bond: “Bookreporter. Spelled Bookreporter.”
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 LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles
October’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club Pick
THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Edoardo Ballerini, Marin Ireland and Dion Graham
In June 1954, 18-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served 15 months for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett's intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy, and head to California where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden's car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett's future, one that will take them all on a fateful journey in the opposite direction --- to the City of New York. 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 see why the book is October's "Read with Jenna" pick.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: LAST GIRL GHOSTED by Lisa Unger
LAST GIRL GHOSTED by Lisa Unger (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Vivienne Leheny
She met him through a dating app. An intriguing picture on a screen, a date at a downtown bar. What she thought might be just a quick hookup quickly became much more. She fell for him --- hard. It happens sometimes, a powerful connection with a perfect stranger takes you by surprise. Could it be love? But then, just as things were getting real, he stood her up. Then he disappeared --- profiles deleted, phone disconnected. She was ghosted. Maybe it was her fault. She shared too much, too fast. Soon she learns there were others. Girls who thought they were in love. Girls who later went missing. Chasing a digital trail into his dark past --- and hers --- she finds herself on a dangerous hunt. And she's not sure whether she's the predator --- or the prey. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Lisa Unger.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read our review.
New Spotlight Feature & Contest:
Bookreporter.com’s "In Case You Missed Them…and a Look Ahead" Featuring Kimberly Belle’s Books
Sometimes you hear about a book and just do not have time to read it. Other times, you have missed hearing about a book, and we would like to tell you about it. We do not want you to miss books that we think you will enjoy! In our "In Case You Missed Them...and a Look Ahead" feature, we are sharing books that you might not have read, and we also are getting the author’s next book on your radar. So then you never will need to say, “I missed them!”
Here we are spotlighting four books by Kimberly Belle: the previously released THE MARRIAGE LIE, DEAR WIFE and STRANGER IN THE LAKE, and the forthcoming MY DARLING HUSBAND, which will be in stores on December 28th.
Enter Our Special Contest!
We are hosting a special contest where readers will be awarded a copy of either THE MARRIAGE LIE, DEAR WIFE or STRANGER IN THE LAKE. All you have to do is take a look at the plot summary of each title here and let us know which one you would like to read the most. Three copies of each book will be given away, so there will be nine total winners. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, October 22nd at noon ET.
Click here to read more in our "In Case You Missed Them...and a Look Ahead" feature and enter the contest.
Featured Review: VANDERBILT
by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe
VANDERBILT: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe (History)
Audiobook available, read by Anderson Cooper
When 11-year-old Cornelius Vanderbilt began to work on his father’s small boat ferrying supplies in New York Harbor at the beginning of the 19th century, no one could have imagined that one day he would build two empires --- one in shipping and another in railroads --- that would make him the richest man in America. His staggering fortune was fought over by his heirs after his death in 1877, sowing familial discord that would never fully heal. Though his son Billy doubled the money left by “the Commodore,” subsequent generations competed to find new and ever more extraordinary ways of spending it. Now, the Commodore’s great-great-great-grandson, Anderson Cooper, joins with historian Katherine Howe to explore the story of his legendary family and their outsized influence. Reviewed by Cindy Burnett.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE BOOK OF FORM AND EMPTINESS
by Ruth Ozeki
THE BOOK OF FORM AND EMPTINESS by Ruth Ozeki (Fiction/Magical Realism)
Audiobook available, read by Kerry Shale
One year after the death of his beloved musician father, 13-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices that belong to the things in his house. When his mother, Annabelle, develops a hoarding problem, the voices grow more clamorous. Benny tries to ignore them, but the voices follow him outside the house, driving him at last to seek refuge in the silence of a large public library. There, Benny discovers a strange new world. He falls in love with a mesmerizing street artist with a smug pet ferret. He meets a homeless philosopher-poet, who encourages him to ask important questions and find his own voice amongst the many. And he meets his very own Book --- a talking thing --- who narrates Benny’s life and teaches him to listen to the things that truly matter. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
A CALLING FOR CHARLIE BARNES
by Joshua Ferris
A CALLING FOR CHARLIE BARNES by Joshua Ferris (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Nick Offerman
Someone is telling the story of the life of Charlie Barnes, and it doesn't appear to be going well. Too often divorced, discontent with life's compromises and in a house he hates, this lifelong schemer and eternal romantic would like out of his present circumstances and into the American dream. But when the twin calamities of the Great Recession and a cancer scare come along to compound his troubles, his dreams dwindle further, and an infinite past full of forking paths quickly tapers to a black dot. Then, against all odds, something goes right for a change: Charlie is granted a second act. With help from his storyteller son, he surveys the facts of his life and finds his true calling where he least expects it. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 11th Annual
Fall Preview Contests and Feature
Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. To celebrate the arrival of fall, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about in the days and months to come.
We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days in September and October, 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, October 12th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
October’s New in Paperback Roundups
October's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes WIN, a thrilling story from Harlan Coben that shows what happens when a dead man's secrets fall into the hands of a vigilante antihero --- drawing him down a dangerous road; TROUBLES IN PARADISE, the satisfying conclusion to Elin Hilderbrand's Paradise trilogy, which gives readers of WINTER IN PARADISE and WHAT HAPPENS IN PARADISE one last chance to travel to the bright Caribbean; Linwood Barclay's FIND YOU FIRST, a riveting thriller in which the possible heirs of a dying tech millionaire are mysteriously being eliminated, one by one; and THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE, Marie Benedict's thrilling reconstruction of one of the most notorious events in literary history --- Agatha Christie's mysterious 11-day disappearance in 1926.
Among our nonfiction highlights are ELEANOR, David Michaelis' breakthrough portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt, America’s longest-serving First Lady, an avatar of democracy whose ever-expanding agency as diplomat, activist and humanitarian made her one of the world’s most widely admired and influential women; I’LL BE SEEING YOU, a beautifully written memoir by Elizabeth Berg, who tells the poignant love story of caring for her parents in their final years; THE ZEALOT AND THE EMANCIPATOR, H. W. Brands' page-turning account of the epic struggle over slavery as embodied by John Brown and Abraham Lincoln --- two men moved to radically different acts to confront our nation’s gravest sin; and Michael Riedel's SINGULAR SENSATION, the extraordinary story of a transformative decade on Broadway, featuring behind-the-scenes accounts of shows such as "Rent," "Angels in America," "Chicago," "The Lion King" and "The Producers."
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
October 4th, October 11th, October 18th and October 25th.
2 SISTERS DETECTIVE AGENCY by James Patterson and Candice Fox (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Peter Giles and Mela Lee
Attorney Rhonda Bird returns home after a long estrangement when she learns her father has died. There she makes two important discoveries: her father stopped being an accountant and had opened up a private detective agency, and she has a teenage half sister named Baby. Baby brings in a client to the detective agency, a young man who claims he was abducted. During the course of the investigation, Rhonda and Baby become entangled in a dangerous case involving a group of overprivileged young adults who break laws for fun, their psychopath ringleader, and an ex-assassin victim who decides to hunt them down for revenge. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
1979: An Allie Burns Novel by Val McDermid (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Katie Leung
For journalist Allie Burns, someone else's bad news is the unmistakable sound of opportunity knocking, an opportunity to get away from the "women's stories" her editors at the Scottish daily The Clarion keep assigning her. Striking up an alliance with budding investigative journalist Danny Sullivan, Allie begins covering international tax fraud, then a group of Scottish ultranationalists aiming to cause mayhem ahead of a referendum on breaking away from the United Kingdom. Their stories quickly get attention and create enemies for the two young up-and-comers. As they get closer to the bleeding edge of breaking news, Allie and Danny may find their lives on the line. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
MY MONTICELLO: Fiction by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Aja Naomi King, January LaVoy, Landon Woodson, LeVar Burton, Ngozi Anyanwu and Tomiwa Edun
Set in the near future, the book's eponymous novella, “My Monticello,” tells of a diverse group of Charlottesville neighbors fleeing violent white supremacists. Led by Da’Naisha, a young Black descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, they seek refuge in Jefferson’s historic plantation home in a desperate attempt to outlive the long-foretold racial and environmental unravelling within the nation. Jocelyn Nicole Johnson’s characters all seek out home as a place and an internal state, whether in the form of a Nigerian widower who immigrates to a meager existence in the city of Alexandria, finding himself adrift; a young mixed-race woman who adopts a new tongue and name to escape the landscapes of rural Virginia and her family; or a single mother who seeks salvation through “Buying a House Ahead of the Apocalypse.” Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE MATZAH BALL by Jean Meltzer (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Dara Rosenberg
Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her Jewish family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach. But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel is determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy: Jacob Greenberg. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah --- and Jacob --- in a way she never expected. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
IN THE SHADOW OF THE EMPRESS: The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and Her Daughters by Nancy Goldstone (History)
Audiobook available, read by Emma Newman
Out of the thrilling and tempestuous 18th century comes the sweeping family saga of beautiful Maria Theresa, a sovereign of uncommon strength and vision, the only woman ever to inherit and rule the vast Habsburg Empire in her own name, and three of her remarkable daughters: lovely, talented Maria Christina, governor-general of the Austrian Netherlands; spirited Maria Carolina, the resolute queen of Naples; and the youngest, Marie Antoinette, the glamorous, tragic queen of France, and perhaps the most famous princess in history. This epic history of Maria Theresa and her daughters is a tour de force of desire, adventure, ambition, treachery, sorrow and glory. Reviewed by John Vena.
THE REAL VALKYRIE: The Hidden History of Viking Warrior Women by Nancy Marie Brown (History)
In 2017, DNA tests revealed to the collective shock of many scholars that a Viking warrior in a high-status grave in Birka, Sweden was actually a woman. THE REAL VALKYRIE weaves together archaeology, history and literature to imagine her life and times, showing that Viking women had more power and agency than historians have imagined. Nancy Marie Brown uses science to link the Birka warrior, whom she names Hervor, to Viking trading towns and to their great trade route east to Byzantium and beyond. She imagines her life intersecting with larger-than-life but real women, including Queen Gunnhild Mother-of-Kings, the Viking leader known as The Red Girl, and Queen Olga of Kyiv. Reviewed by Carly Silver.
THE ICE COVEN by Max Seeck (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Abby Craden
Six months have passed since investigator Jessica Niemi’s encounter with the mysterious serial-killing coven of witches and the death of her mentor. Now her homicide squad has been given a murder case and a new series of disappearances to investigate. A young woman’s corpse has washed up on an icy beach, and two famous Instagram influencers have gone missing. The missing influencers and the murdered woman all have ties to a sinister cult. Jessica finds an eerie painting --- of a lighthouse on a remote island --- as she investigates, and under the picture is a gruesome poem detailing a murder. The nightmares about Jessica's mother and the witchcraft that undid her suddenly seem all too real, making Jessica wonder if the dead woman might be trying to tell her something about the killings. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE OC: A Jake Longly Thriller by D.P. Lyle (Mystery/Thriller)
Restaurant owner and former professional baseball player Jake Longly is hoping for a few weeks of fun with Nicole Jamison in the warm Orange County, CA sun. After that, they’ll be on their way to LA for the filming of Nicole’s sure-to-be-a-hit screenplay. On arrival, they discover that Nicole’s friend Megan Weatherly, a local TV reporter, has picked up an anonymous stalker. Megan downplays any real danger, but her new intern Abby, as well as Jake and Nicole, don’t agree. Bit by bit, as the harassment escalates and the shadowy man invades Megan’s world, Jake calls in the big guns from back home in Alabama: Ray and Pancake. But will Ray’s military black ops experience and Pancake’s technical skills be enough to expose the predator in time? Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on October 11th and 12th
Below are some notable titles releasing on October 11th and 12th 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 October 11th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
October 11th
E.R. NURSES: True Stories from America's Greatest Unsung Heroes by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann, with Chris Mooney (Medicine/Biography)
James Patterson and Matt Eversmann, the #1 bestselling coauthors of WALK IN MY COMBAT BOOTS, powerfully present the frontline heroes who work to save our lives every day: E.R. nurses.
October 12th
12 BYTES: How We Got Here. Where We Might Go Next by Jeanette Winterson (Essays)
From New York Times bestselling author Jeanette Winterson comes 12 eye-opening, mind-expanding, funny and provocative essays on the implications of artificial intelligence for the way we live and the way we love.
THE BOOK OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (Fiction/Magical Realism)
Master storyteller Alice Hoffman brings us the conclusion of the Practical Magic series in a spellbinding and enchanting final Owens novel brimming with lyric beauty and vivid characters.
THE BOYS: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family by Ron Howard and Clint Howard (Memoir)
Join award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard and audience-favorite actor Clint Howard as they frankly and fondly share their unusual family story of navigating and surviving life as sibling child actors.
THE BRIDES OF MARACOOR by Gregory Maguire (Fantasy)
Multimillion-copy bestselling author Gregory Maguire unveils the first in a three-book series spun off the iconic Wicked Years, featuring Elphaba’s granddaughter, the green-skinned Rain.
GOD REST YE, ROYAL GENTLEMEN: A Royal Spyness Mystery by Rhys Bowen (Historical Mystery)
Georgie is back and hanging the stockings with care when a murder interrupts her Christmas cheer in this all-new installment in the New York Times bestselling Royal Spyness series from Rhys Bowen.
NO WORDS by Meg Cabot (Romance)
Meg Cabot returns to Little Bridge Island with a new story about a children’s book author with a case of writer’s block and an arrogant novelist who have to set aside their differences as they get through a weekend-long book festival that just might change everything --- including their feelings for each other.
ON ANIMALS by Susan Orlean (Nature/Essays)
Susan Orlean --- the beloved New Yorker staff writer hailed as “a national treasure” by The Washington Post and the author of the New York Times bestseller THE LIBRARY BOOK --- gathers a lifetime of musings, meditations and in-depth profiles about animals.
OSCAR WILDE: A Life by Matthew Sturgis (Biography)
Drawing on material that has come to light in the past 30 years, Matthew Sturgis meticulously portrays the key events and influences that shaped Oscar Wilde's life, returning the man "to his times, and to the facts," giving us Wilde's own experience as he experienced it.
THE PARTY CRASHER by Sophie Kinsella (Fiction/Humor)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of LOVE YOUR LIFE comes a humorous and heartwarming novel about family, set against the backdrop of the most fabulous party you’ve ever snuck into.
PEARL by Josh Malerman (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
From the New York Times bestselling author of BIRD BOX and MALORIE comes the legend of a strange new monster unlike any other in horror (previously published as ON THIS, THE DAY OF THE PIG).
SILVERVIEW by John le Carré (Mystery)
In SILVERVIEW, John le Carré turns his focus to the world that occupied his writing for the past 60 years --- the secret world itself.
STATE OF TERROR by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny (Political Thriller)
From #1 bestselling authors Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny comes a novel of unsurpassed thrills and incomparable insider expertise.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Louise Penny, Alice Hoffman
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.
Saturday, October 9th at 6pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Lisa Unger will discuss her new psychological thriller, LAST GIRL GHOSTED, with special guest host Karin Slaughter.
Monday, October 11th at 7pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome #1 bestselling authors Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny for a live, virtual event to discuss their highly anticipated political thriller, STATE OF TERROR.
Tuesday, October 12th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Barnes & Noble will host a Facebook Live discussion for their September Book Club selection, MATRIX, featuring Lauren Groff in conversation with Jamie Quatro.
Tuesday, October 12th at 7pm ET: The Strand, PEN America and Scripps: Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny join PEN Out Loud to commemorate their co-written novel, STATE OF TERROR. They will be joined in conversation by Susan Choi to discuss the novel’s inception, themes and ideas.
Tuesday, October 12th at 7pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Alice Hoffman, in conversation with Kristin Hannah, as she discusses her new novel, THE BOOK OF MAGIC, the finale to her Practical Magic quartet.
Wednesday, October 13th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between October 12th and November 2nd, along with a few from December, that she would like to get on your radar.
Wednesday, October 13th 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 Tasha Alexander and her husband, fellow bestselling author Andrew Grant.
Wednesday, October 13th at 7pm ET: Politics and Prose Bookstore: Louise Penny and Hillary Rodham Clinton will come together to discuss their new political thriller, STATE OF TERROR, a novel of unsurpassed suspense.
Wednesday, October 13th at 7pm ET: Tewksbury Public Library: Lisa Unger will discuss her latest book, LAST GIRL GHOSTED, with fellow bestselling author Alafair Burke.
Wednesday, October 13th at 8pm ET: Boswell Book Company: Boswell is honored to host Anthony Doerr, who will be in conversation with Quan Barry about his long-awaited new novel, CLOUD CUCKOO LAND.
Thursday, October 14th at 7pm ET: Cuyahoga County Public Library with Mac’s Backs: Join the Cuyahoga County Public Library for a conversation with thriller authors Lisa Unger and Hank Phillippi Ryan. Lisa will talk to Hank about her new novel, LAST GIRL GHOSTED.
Thursday, October 14th at 7pm ET: Montclair Public Library: Beloved novelist Alice Hoffman will return to Montclair to discuss THE BOOK OF MAGIC with Elisabeth Egan of the New York Times Book Review.
"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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Stephanie Land (MAID: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive)
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Sarah Ruhl (SMILE: The Story of a Face)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Reading Pandemic-Themed Fiction
How interested are you in reading a novel with a pandemic theme? Please check all that apply.
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I would read it now.
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It depends on the plot of the book.
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It depends on the author.
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I am not ready yet, but I may be open to reading these books at a later time.
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I am not interested in reading these books.
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Let’s skip timelines of 2020 and 2021 for books!
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I am not sure.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, October 22nd 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 October 8th to October 22nd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE JUDGE'S LIST by John Grisham and OH WILLIAM! by Elizabeth Strout.
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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