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The Time of Year When Lists Have Lists!
I am making a list and checking it twice. Well, that would depend on which list I am looking at; these are the days when our lists have lists. I still have the turquoise tree to decorate, presents to buy and presents to wrap, menus to plan and cookies to bake. The way the holiday is breaking this year is a bit deceiving. While many are exiting work for the holiday today, “the big event” is not for another week. Whew, now I feel better! We will be wrapping up as much as we can on Monday, doing our annual staff lunch on Tuesday, and then we start exiting to the four winds for a much-needed break.
I have shelves filled with books coming out next year that I am looking forward to reading in front of a roaring fire. I have family and friends who I look forward to catching up with. And high on my list is just kicking it back a big notch, sleeping in and catching up on various streaming programs. I know this time of celebrating will be all too brief.
Last Saturday night, we had such fun at a friend’s house where they brought in a private chef to serve us a four-course dinner. As my husband, Tom, and I love to cook, we enjoyed seeing the various techniques that this chef employed. Tom was snapping photos, so we have a photo diary of the evening. I am thinking about how to parlay some of her techniques onto some of our holiday menus.
But first, we have a lot to share with you!
This week, we learned the very sad news that Anne Rice had passed away at the age of 80 due to complications from a stroke. Our sympathy goes out to her son, Christopher Rice, who we have met at many events. He co-authored two books with her and has written many novels of his own. Of course, she is best known for her gothic series, The Vampire Chronicles, which inspired two movies: Interview with the Vampire and Queen of the Damned. AMC Networks has greenlit two series based on her Lestat saga and her Lives of the Mayfair Witches novels, both of which are set to premiere next year.
Ray Palen, who reviewed a number of Rice's books for us, reflects on her prolific career and legacy in this lovely tribute. Shortly before her death, Rice gave her final interview to the New York Times, where she talked all about her reading tastes and habits. It’s an interesting read; you can take a look at it here.
We have plenty of special year-end features to share with you in this newsletter, keeping you busy for the rest of 2021…and maybe even into 2022!
Our BIG Year-End Giveaway
First up is our 11th annual End-of-the-Year Contest, where one Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 44(!) of my Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2021, while 11 other winners will receive a selection of four of these titles.
Some of the books you may win include APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty, ETERNAL by Lisa Scottoline, THE FIANCÉE by Kate White, THE LAST MONA LISA by Jonathan Santlofer, LIGHTNING STRIKE by William Kent Krueger, NOT A HAPPY FAMILY by Shari Lapena, THE PAPER PALACE by Miranda Cowley Heller, and YELLOW WIFE by Sadeqa Johnson. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, January 7th at noon ET.
And We Did a Year-End Video
Instead of me just talking about these books, we decided to do something different this year for our year-end video. Austin, our fabulous producer, joined me on camera and acted as a talk show host, teeing up selections as I talked about why they resonated with me. We had fun shooting this, and even if my memory is not perfect with every little detail about every title (I keep telling him I need a teleprompter!), I think you will enjoy this wrap-up to Bets On for 2021. You can watch the video here; the podcast will be live next week. It is worth noting that I interviewed the authors of 38 of my 44 Bets On picks!
Our Reviewers Choose Their Favorite Books of the Year
Next up are our Reviewer Picks, a feature that I look forward to EVERY year. Which books stood out the most to our reviewers in 2021? You can check out their fiction and nonfiction favorites here. See which of their selections you agree or disagree with --- and which titles you may want to add to your 2022 reading lists.
As many of you know, 10 of these reviewers --- Sarah Rachel Egelman, Megan Elliott, Pauline Finch, Harvey Freedenberg, Bronwyn Miller, Rebecca Munro, Eileen Zimmerman Nicol, Ray Palen, Norah Piehl and Stuart Shiffman --- appeared on Zoom last week to talk about their top three books of the year. In case you missed this special Bookreporter 25th anniversary event, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here. We also put together a blog about the program where we include picks and commentary from Jana Siciliano, who was to be our 11th reviewer guest but was unable to join us.
“Best Of” 2021 Lists
For more highlights from 2021, click here for a number of “Best Of” lists that we’ve compiled from around the web --- including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Shelf Awareness, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, People, Entertainment Weekly and Oprah Magazine. We save you the time of tracking these down.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
As always, we have a big poll with THREE questions to close out the year. We want to know how many print books and e-books you’ve read in 2021, and how many audiobooks you’ve listened to. Click here to cast your votes.
Our previous poll asked if you will be giving books as gifts this holiday season, which we love. 75% of you are planning to give hardcovers or paperbacks, while 26% intend to give a gift card that will allow the recipient to buy a print book, e-book or audiobook. Click here for all the results.
Authors Blog About Their Favorite Bookish Holiday Memories
We concluded our 14th annual Holiday Author Blog series this week. Many thanks to this year’s contributing authors for sharing with us their memories of giving or receiving books during the holidays: Kimberly Belle (MY DARLING HUSBAND), Diane Chamberlain (THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET), Xochitl Gonzalez (OLGA DIES DREAMING), Julia Kelly (THE LAST DANCE OF THE DEBUTANTE), and Jacquelyn Mitchard (THE GOOD SON). Reading these pieces will make you smile…and may even bring a tear to your eye! I read and loved all five of them.
Books You Want to Wrap and Unwrap
If you are still looking for last-minute gift ideas, may we suggest you take a look at this year’s Holiday Cheer feature? These are books that are perfect for holiday giving --- and you may even want to include some of them on your "to me/from me" list.
It's Been a VERY Busy 2021!
In addition to the reviewer event and the Bets On wrap-up video, this year we have done 47 "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews, 11 "Bookaccino Live" preview events, and 5 "Bookaccino Live" Book Group programs. It's been a very busy but fun year, and we look forward to bringing you many more interviews and events in 2022! We already have a couple of them lined up.
We are closing out the year with our final 20(!) reviews of 2021.
Diana Gabaldon returns with the highly anticipated ninth novel in her epic Outlander series, GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE. The past may seem the safest place to be, but it is the most dangerous time to be alive. Our reviewer Roz Shea selected this has her hands-down favorite book of the year, calling it “a 21st-century version of GONE WITH THE WIND” and pointing out, “I've read all of Herman Wouk's books about World War II, and this one is definitely on equal footing.” Fans of the Starz series will be thrilled to know that season six is scheduled to begin on March 6th.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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LUCKY: Marissa Stapley’s new novel is this month’s Reese’s Book Club pick. According to Reese, “This is such an electric story about an unconventional heroine who is on the run from her past with a winning lottery ticket that could change her future forever. But here’s the catch…she can’t cash it in! I loved all the twists and turns of this adventure, not knowing where Lucky was going to end up next.”
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THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS: Meg Waite Clayton revisits the dark early days of the German occupation in France in this haunting novel --- a love story and a tale of high-stakes danger and incomparable courage --- about a young American heiress who helps artists hunted by the Nazis escape from war-torn Europe.
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DAVA SHASTRI’S LAST DAY: Kirthana Ramisetti’s debut novel about a multicultural family is this month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick. In it, a dying billionaire matriarch leaks news of her death early so she can examine her legacy --- a decision that horrifies her children and inadvertently exposes secrets she has spent a lifetime keeping.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, January 7th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win two January 4th releases: THE MAID by Nita Prose and OLGA DIES DREAMING by Xochitl Gonzalez. Both will be 2022 Bets On selections, my first two of the year.
Also, we encourage book clubs to enter our “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com, where our latest prize book is SUNFLOWER SISTERS.
Releasing in paperback on December 28th, it’s the final installment in Martha Hall Kelly’s trilogy of novels about Caroline Ferriday’s family, following LILAC GIRLS and LOST ROSES. The book revolves around the story of Caroline’s ancestor Georgeanna Woolsey, a Union nurse during the Civil War whose calling leads her to cross paths with Jemma, a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army, and Anne-May Wilson, a Southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists.
Three groups will win up to 12 copies of SUNFLOWER SISTERS. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, January 12th at noon ET.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Linda says, “I received OLGA DIES DREAMING, which I won in your contest earlier this year, and wanted to thank you for it. I look forward to reading it as soon as I complete the book I am currently involved in. I really enjoy, and look forward to, your weekly Friday Bookreporter emails where I find so many of the books that I eventually read. Have a wonderful holiday season!” Thanks, Linda, and look for my interview with its author, Xochitl Gonzalez, in January.
"Succession" on HBO: One of the best season finales that I have watched. Bravo to the writers!
The Unforgivable on Netflix: Well done, though I think Sandra Bullock would get an award for the facial expression that does not change from start to finish. Seriously. You can watch a great interview with her about it here.
“1883” on Paramount+: This is the prequel to “Yellowstone”. I am sure in 1883 they did not “take the chopper,” but I will watch this!
"This Is Us" on NBC: It’s back on January 4th, and here is a piece about the new season, which will be its last.
Color of the Year for 2022: Periwinkle: I will take this as it works well with turquoise and lavender, another of my favorites. Read more about it here.
Brace Yourselves: In 2022, Mercury's first period of retrograde begins on January 14th and ends on February 3rd, according to Astrology Zone.
I am off to conquer my holiday lists, which I am sure will grow more lists in the days to come.
Thanks to all of you for reading. That is a gift that you give to us each week. Here's wishing you all a brilliant holiday season, and all the best for 2022!
Read on, and have a great THREE weeks!
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Remembering the Legendary Anne Rice,
One of the World's Finest Novelists
We mourn the loss of legendary author Anne Rice, who has died at the age of 80 due to complications resulting from a stroke.
Rice wrote 36 novels --- including gothic fiction, Christian literature and erotica --- and one work of nonfiction, CALLED OUT OF DARKNESS: A Spiritual Confession. Her first novel, INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, was published in 1976 and has gone on to become one of the best-selling novels of all time. It also was the basis for the internationally acclaimed 1994 motion picture of the same name starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst and Antonio Banderas. She continued her saga of the Vampire Lestat in a series of books, collectively known as The Vampire Chronicles, which have had both great mainstream and cult followings.
Shortly after Rice’s passing, her son, author Christopher Rice, expressed how much his mother meant to him in an emotional Facebook post: “As my mother, her support for me was unconditional --- she taught me to embrace my dreams, reject conformity and challenge the dark voices of fear and self-doubt. As a writer, she taught me to defy genre boundaries and surrender to my obsessive passions.”
Longtime Bookreporter reviewer Ray Palen reflects on Rice's remarkable career and legacy in a special "In Memoriam" piece.
Click here to read Ray Palen's tribute to Anne Rice.
Featured Review:
GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE
by Diana Gabaldon
GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE by Diana Gabaldon (Historical Fantasy/Romance)
Audiobook available, read by Davina Porter
Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall were torn apart by the Jacobite Rising in 1746, and it took them 20 years to find each other again. Now the American Revolution threatens to do the same. It is 1779, and Claire and Jamie are at last reunited with their daughter, Brianna; her husband, Roger; and their children on Fraser’s Ridge. Yet even in the North Carolina backcountry, the effects of war are being felt. Tensions in the Colonies are great, and local feelings run hot enough to boil Hell’s teakettle. Jamie knows loyalties among his tenants are split, and it won’t be long until the war is on his doorstep. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Special Contest:
Enter to Win Our End-of-the-Year Celebration,
Featuring All 44 "Bets On" Titles from 2021
We are thrilled to announce our End-of-the-Year Contest featuring Carol Fitzgerald’s Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2021. One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 44 books, while 11 other readers will receive a selection of four of these titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, January 7th at noon ET.
Here are this year's Bookreporter.com Bets On titles:
Our Year-End Video!
Click here to watch Carol's End-of-the-Year video, where she talks about all 44 of this year's Bets On selections and why these books resonated with her so much. The podcast version will be available next week!
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Reviewers Choose
Their Favorite Books of 2021
We've asked our reviewers to provide us with a list of some of their favorite books from 2021. Included is a mix of fiction and nonfiction titles, all published this year.
Featured Review: LUCKY by Marissa Stapley
Reese’s Book Club Pick for December
LUCKY by Marissa Stapley (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Soneela Nankani
Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity, when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she’s learned the art of the scam. When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means she’ll be arrested for her crimes. As Lucky tries to avoid capture and make a future for herself, she must confront her past. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit the Reese's Book Club website.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS
by Meg Waite Clayton
THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS by Meg Waite Clayton (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Imani Jade Powers and Graham Halstead
Wealthy, beautiful Naneé was born with a spirit of adventure. For her, learning to fly is freedom. When German tanks roll across the border and into Paris, this woman with an adorable dog and a generous heart joins the resistance. Known as the Postmistress because she delivers information to those in hiding, Naneé uses her charms and skill to house the hunted and deliver them to safety. Photographer Edouard Moss has escaped Germany with his young daughter only to be interned in a French labor camp. His life collides with Nanée’s in this sweeping tale of romance and danger set in a world aflame with personal and political passion. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: DAVA SHASTRI’S LAST DAY
by Kirthana Ramisetti
December’s “Good Morning America” Book Club Pick
DAVA SHASTRI'S LAST DAY by Kirthana Ramisetti (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Soneela Nankani
Dava Shastri has always lived with her sterling reputation in mind. However, a brain cancer diagnosis at the age of 70 changes everything, and Dava decides to take her death into her own hands. Summoning her four adult children to her private island, she discloses shocking news: in addition to having a terminal illness, she has arranged for the news of her death to break early, so she can read her obituaries. Dava expects to read articles lauding her philanthropic work. Instead, her "death" reveals two devastating secrets, truths she thought she had buried forever. In the time she has left, Dava must come to terms with the decisions that have led to this moment --- and make peace with those closest to her before it's too late. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- 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 December's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's Holiday Author Blogs:
Authors Write About Their Favorite Holiday Memories
of Giving or Receiving Books
Our Holiday Author Blogs have returned for a 14th consecutive year! Five authors shared with us some wonderful memories about giving or receiving books during the holidays.
As always, we appreciate all the authors who took the time to participate in this annual feature.
Click here to read Bookreporter.com's 2021 Holiday Author Blogs.
Bookreporter.com's Holiday Cheer Feature:
Books You Want to Wrap and Unwrap
At Bookreporter.com, we've been celebrating the holiday season in style with our Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature. As our gift to you, we've been spotlighting a book and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it.
Although the contests have ended, we encourage you to take a look at this year's featured titles. These are books you'll want to read during the holidays --- and throughout the new year as well!
This year's featured titles are:
- Click here to see the winners of this year's Holiday Cheer contests.
Click here to see our Holiday Cheer feature.
2021 "Best Of" Lists from Around the Web
This is the time of year when “Best Of” lists are everywhere. These annual roundups always seem to spark lively discussions among readers as they reflect on their favorite books of the year. Although we at Bookreporter.com don’t have a “Best Of” list of our own, we’ve compiled a number of them for you here. See which of your top picks appear on these lists and which titles you feel should've been included but weren't. Perhaps you’ll even find some books to add to your reading list as we head into the new year!
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
We currently have two contests running on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
Special Contest: Share Your Favorite Books of 2021 --- and Enter to Win EIGHT Great Book Group Titles Coming Out in 2022!
This is the time of year when we start seeing “Best Books of the Year” lists. We would like you and your book group to help us compile ours! Click here to share both your favorite book that you read with your group this year and your favorite book that you read outside your group by Wednesday, January 12th at noon ET.
One Grand Prize winner will be awarded eight great book group titles releasing in 2022: THE GOOD SON by Jacquelyn Mitchard, HER HIDDEN GENIUS by Marie Benedict, THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET by Diane Chamberlain, THE MAGNOLIA PALACE by Fiona Davis, THE MAID by Nita Prose, OLGA DIES DREAMING by Xochitl Gonzalez, THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD MOTHERS by Jessamine Chan, and VIOLETA by Isabel Allende.
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Win Up to 12 Copies of SUNFLOWER SISTERS by Martha Hall Kelly for Your Group
Each month in our "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month" contest, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win up to 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group.
Our latest prize book is SUNFLOWER SISTERS, the final installment in Martha Hall Kelly’s trilogy of novels about Caroline Ferriday’s family, following LILAC GIRLS and LOST ROSES. This concluding volume, which releases in paperback on December 28th, tells the story of Ferriday’s ancestor Georgeanna Woolsey, a Union nurse during the Civil War whose calling leads her to cross paths with Jemma, a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army, and Anne-May Wilson, a Southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists. Enter here by Wednesday, January 12th at noon ET.
Here are our latest featured guides:
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now (or soon will be) available in paperback:
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.
SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE by Claire Keegan (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Aidan Kelly
It is 1985 in a small Irish town. During the weeks leading up to Christmas, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man, faces into his busiest season. Early one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, Bill makes a discovery that forces him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of a town controlled by the church. Already a bestseller in France and certain to be read worldwide for generations to come, SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE is a deeply affecting and inspiring story of hope, quiet heroism and empathy from one of our most critically celebrated and iconic writers. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES by Shea Ernshaw (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Carlotta Brentan, Cassandra Campbell, Gibson Frazier, Cindy Kay and Pete Simonelli
Travis Wren has an unusual talent for locating missing people. Hired by families as a last resort, he requires only a single object to find the person who has vanished. When he takes on the case of Maggie St. James --- a well-known author of dark, macabre children’s books --- he’s led to a place many believed to be only a legend. Called Pastoral, this reclusive community was founded in the 1970s by like-minded people searching for a simpler way of life. By all accounts, the commune shouldn’t exist anymore…and soon after Travis stumbles upon it, he disappears. Unraveling the mystery of what happened reveals secrets that Theo, a lifelong member of Pastoral; his wife, Calla; and her sister, Bee, keep from one another. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
TRUE CRIME STORY by Joseph Knox (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by various narrators
In 2011, Zoe Nolan walked out of her dormitory in Manchester and was never seen or heard from again. Her case went cold. Her story was sad, certainly, but hardly sensational, crime writer Joseph Knox thought. He wouldn't have given her any more thought were it not for his friend, Evelyn Mitchell. Another writer struggling to come up with a new idea, Evelyn was wondering just what happened to all the girls who go missing. What happened to the Zoe Nolans of the world? Evelyn began investigating herself, interviewing Zoe's family and friends, and emailing Joseph with chapters of the book she was writing with her findings. Uneasy with the corkscrew twists and turns, Joseph Knox embedded himself in the case, ultimately discovering a truth more tragic and shocking than he could have possibly imagined. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
MOTHERS, FATHERS, AND OTHERS: Essays by Siri Hustvedt (Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Caitlin Thorburn
Described as “a 21st-century Virginia Woolf” in the Literary Review (UK), Man Booker-longlisted Siri Hustvedt displays her expansive intellect and interdisciplinary knowledge in this collection that moves effortlessly between stories of her mother, grandmother and daughter to artistic mothers, Jane Austen, Emily Brontë and Lousie Bourgeois, to the broader meanings of maternal in a culture shaped by misogyny and fantasies of paternal authority. MOTHERS, FATHERS, AND OTHERS is a polymath’s journey into urgent questions about familial love and hate, human prejudice and cruelty, and the transformative power of art. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE LAST SHADOW by Orson Scott Card (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Emily Rankin, Gabrielle de Cuir, John Rubinstein, Judy Young, Justine Eyre, Kirby Heyborne, Orson Scott Card, Scott Brick and Stefan Rudnicki
THE LAST SHADOW is the long-awaited conclusion to both the original Ender series and the Ender's Shadow series, as the children of Ender and Bean solve the great problem of the Ender Universe --- the deadly virus they call the descolada, which is incurable and will kill all of humanity if it is allowed to escape from Lusitania. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
BRYANT & MAY: LONDON BRIDGE IS FALLING DOWN: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery by Christopher Fowler (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Tim Goodman
When 91-year-old Amelia Hoffman dies in her top-floor flat on a busy London road, it’s considered an example of what has gone wrong with modern society: she slipped through the cracks in a failing system. But detectives Arthur Bryant and John May of the Peculiar Crimes Unit have their doubts. Mrs. Hoffman was once a government security expert, though no one can quite remember her. When a link emerges between the old lady and a diplomat trying to flee the country, it seems that an impossible murder has been committed. Mrs. Hoffman wasn’t the only one at risk. Bryant is convinced that other forgotten women with hidden talents are also in danger. And, curiously, they all own models of London Bridge. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
FIVE DECEMBERS by James Kestrel (Hard-boiled Historical Thriller)
December 1941. America teeters on the brink of war, and in Honolulu, Hawaii, police detective Joe McGrady is assigned to investigate a homicide that will change his life forever. Because the trail of murder he uncovers will lead him across the Pacific, far from home and the woman he loves. And though the U.S. doesn't know it yet, a Japanese fleet is already steaming toward Pearl Harbor. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
BOY UNDERGROUND by Catherine Ryan Hyde (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Dan Butler
Steven Katz is the son of prosperous landowners in rural California. Although his parents don’t approve, he has found true friends in Nick, Suki and Ollie, sons of field workers, and is beginning to acknowledge that his feelings for Nick amount to more than friendship. When the bombing of Pearl Harbor draws the US into World War II, Suki and his family are forced to leave their home for the internment camp at Manzanar. Ollie enlists in the army and ships out. And Nick must flee. Betrayed by his own father and accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he turns to Steven for help. Hiding Nick in a root cellar on his family’s farm, Steven acts as Nick’s protector and lifeline to the outside world. After Nick unexpectedly disappears one day, Steven’s life focus is to find him. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
SILENT PARADE: A Detective Galileo Novel by Keigo Higashino (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by David Shih
A popular young girl disappears without a trace, and her skeletal remains are discovered three years later. When the prime suspect isn’t indicted, he returns to mock the girl’s family. And this isn’t the first time he’s been suspected of the murder of a young girl; nearly 20 years ago, he was tried and released due to lack of evidence. Detective Chief Inspector Kusanagi worked both cases. The neighborhood in which the murdered girl lived is famous for an annual street festival. During the parade, the suspected killer dies unexpectedly. DCI Kusanagi turns once again to his college friend, Physics professor and occasional police consultant Manabu Yukawa --- known as Detective Galileo --- to help solve the string of impossible-to-prove murders. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
A KILLER BY DESIGN: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind by Ann Wolbert Burgess and Steven Matthew Constantine (True Crime/Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Gabra Zackman
Lurking beneath the progressive activism and sex positivity in the 1970-80s, a dark undercurrent of violence rippled across the American landscape. This led the FBI to create a specialized team --- the “Mindhunters,” better known as the Behavioral Science Unit --- that would track down the country's most dangerous criminals. And yet narrowing down a seemingly infinite list of potential suspects seemed daunting at best and impossible at worst --- until Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess stepped on the scene. In A KILLER BY DESIGN, Burgess reveals how her pioneering research on sexual assault and trauma caught the attention of the FBI, and steered her right into the middle of a chilling serial murder investigation in Nebraska. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
TELL ME HOW TO BE by Neel Patel (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Vikas Adam
As the one-year anniversary of her husband’s death approaches, Renu Amin is binge-watching soap operas and simmering with old resentments. She can’t stop wondering if, 35 years ago, she chose the wrong life. In Los Angeles, her son, Akash, has everything he ever wanted, but as he tries to kickstart his songwriting career and commit to his boyfriend, he is haunted by the painful memories he fled a decade ago. When his mother tells him she is selling the family home, Akash returns to Illinois, hoping to finally say goodbye and move on. But as their pasts catch up to them, Renu and Akash must decide between the lives they left behind and the ones they’ve since created, between making each other happy and setting themselves free. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
THE LOVE CON by Seressia Glass (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Zenzi Williams
Sometimes Kenya Davenport believes she was switched at the hospital. How else could a lover of anime, gaming and cosplay come from STEM parents? Still, Kenya dreams of being able to turn her creative hobby into a career. She finally has a chance to make it big when she joins the reality show competition “Cosplay or No Way.” There's just one catch: the challenge for the final round is all about iconic pairs, and the judges want the contestants' significant others to participate. Unfortunately, Kenya is as single as can be at the moment. Luckily her best friend, Cameron Lassiter, agrees to be her fake boyfriend for the show. Can Kenya and Cam fake it until she makes it, or will she be real about her feelings, knowing it could cost her the best friend she’s ever had? Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
CREATIVE TYPES AND OTHER STORIES by Tom Bissell (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Trisha Miller and Kasey Mahaffy
A young and ingratiating assistant to a movie star makes a blunder that puts his boss and a major studio at grave risk. A long-married couple hires an escort for a threesome in order to rejuvenate their relationship. An assistant at a prestigious literary journal reconnects with a middle school frenemy and finds that his carefully constructed world of refinement cannot protect him from his past. A Bush administration lawyer wakes up on an abandoned airplane, trapped in a nightmare of his own making. In these and other stories, Tom Bissell vividly renders the complex worlds of characters on the brink of artistic and personal crises --- creative types who see things slightly differently from the rest of us. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
COUNT TO THREE by T.R. Ragan (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Karen Peakes
On her first day of kindergarten, five-year-old Tinsley disappeared without a trace. Five agonizing years later, her divorced mother, Dani Callahan, is a private investigator. She and Quinn Sullivan, a promising young assistant, are devoted to helping others find missing loved ones. And for Dani, finding Tinsley is still a never-ending obsession. Their newest case is Ali Cross, a teenager who vanished while walking home. A troubled boy’s eyewitness testimony to Ali’s abduction provides their only clues. And as their search for Ali gets underway, new information about Tinsley’s disappearance begins to surface too. As their investigations lead down two twisting paths, disturbing secrets are revealed and new victims find themselves in mortal danger. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
IT'S GETTING DARK: Stories written by Peter Stamm, translated by Michael Hofmann (Fiction/Short Stories)
Snowed in at a remote artists’ residency in Vermont, Peter recalls another Christmas some 30 years earlier, when he met Marcia by chance. Only now does he begin to see the consequences of their brief affair through a series of connections. When Hubert asks Sabrina to model for a sculpture, she’s flattered. But facing the finished product disturbs her, and she becomes determined to follow her double after it’s sold to a collector. Uneasy in his own skin, David decides to rob a bank. He’s heard that bank robbers often study the scene for weeks before they strike. So he’s started to lurk. In these powerfully affecting stories, Peter Stamm illustrates how fragile our reality really is, how susceptible to tricks of the heart and mind. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
THE WITCHING TREE: A Natalie Lockhart Novel by Alice Blanchard (Mystery)
Detective Natalie Lockhart gained unwanted notoriety when she and her family became front and center of two sensational murder cases. Burned out and always looking over her shoulder, Natalie desperately thinks that quitting the police force is her only option left. All that changes when a beloved resident --- a practicing Wiccan and founder of the town’s oldest coven --- is killed in a fashion more twisted and shocking than Natalie has ever seen before. Natalie has no choice but to help solve the case along with Detective Luke Pittman, her boss and the old childhood friend she cannot admit she loves, even to herself. There is a silent, malignant presence in Burning Lake that will not rest. And what happens next will shock the whole town, and Natalie, to the core. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Noteworthy Books Releasing on
December 21st, December 28th and January 4th
Below are some notable titles releasing on December 21st, December 28th and January 4th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. A list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks available the weeks of December 27th and January 3rd can be found in the December 21st “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
December 21st
OBSERVATIONS BY GASLIGHT: Stories from the World of Sherlock Holmes by Lyndsay Faye (Mystery/Short Stories)
OBSERVATIONS BY GASLIGHT is a new collection of Sherlockian tales that shows the Great Detective and his partner, Watson, as their acquaintances saw them.
December 28th
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods (Thriller/Adventure)
In this exhilarating new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stuart Woods, Stone Barrington goes up against an enemy on the run.
A MAN OF HONOR by Barbara Taylor Bradford (Historical Fiction)
For the first time, readers discover Blackie O'Neill's story: his tumultuous life, the obstacles facing him, the desire he has to throw off the impotence of poverty and move up in the world.
MY DARLING HUSBAND by Kimberly Belle (Psychological Thriller)
Please note: The e-book and audiobook will be available on December 28th, and the paperback will release on March 8th.
Kimberly Belle, the bestselling author of DEAR WIFE and THE MARRIAGE LIE, returns with her most heart-pounding thriller to date, as a masked home invader reveals the cracks in a marriage.
THE PARIS DETECTIVE by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo (Thriller)
The most revered detective in Paris puts his skills to the test in three thrilling cases from the creator of Alex Cross and Detective Michael Bennett.
January 4th
ANTHEM by Noah Hawley (Literary Thriller)
In this epic literary thriller, a band of unlikely heroes sets out on a quest to save one innocent life --- and might end up saving us all.
A DEADLY AFFAIR: Unexpected Love Stories from the Queen of Mystery by Agatha Christie (Mystery/Short Stories)
From the Queen of Mystery, this all-new collection of stories about love gone horribly wrong will get your heart racing.
FIONA AND JANE by Jean Chen Ho (Fiction/Short Stories)
FIONA AND JANE is a witty, warm and irreverent book that traces the lives of two young Taiwanese American women as they navigate friendship, sexuality, identity and heartbreak over two decades.
HONOR by Thrity Umrigar (Fiction)
In this riveting and immersive novel, bestselling author Thrity Umrigar tells the story of two couples and the sometimes dangerous and heartbreaking challenges of love across a cultural divide.
INVISIBLE by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
In this riveting novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel, a gifted young woman must grapple with the legacy of a troubled childhood in order to pursue her dreams.
THE LAST DANCE OF THE DEBUTANTE by Julia Kelly (Historical Fiction)
Julia Kelly returns with a masterful, glittering novel that whisks you to midcentury Britain as it follows three of the last debutantes to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II.
THE MAID by Nita Prose (Mystery)
A charmingly eccentric hotel maid discovers a guest murdered in his bed. Solving the mystery will turn her once orderly world upside down in this utterly original debut.
A NARROW DOOR by Joanne Harris (Psychological Thriller)
A NARROW DOOR is an electrifying tale of psychological suspense and revenge at an elite grammar school where secrets run deep.
NO LAND TO LIGHT ON by Yara Zgheib (Fiction)
EXIT WEST meets AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE in this breathtaking and evocative novel about a young Syrian couple in the throes of new love, on the cusp of their bright future...when a travel ban rips them apart on the eve of their son’s birth.
OLGA DIES DREAMING by Xochitl Gonzalez (Fiction)
A blazing talent debuts with the tale of a status-driven wedding planner grappling with her social ambitions, absent mother and Puerto Rican roots --- all in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD MOTHERS by Jessamine Chan (Fiction)
In this taut and explosive debut novel, one lapse in judgment lands a young mother in a government reform program where custody of her child hangs in the balance.
SEASONAL WORK: Stories by Laura Lippman (Mystery/Short Stories)
In a suspenseful collection of stories featuring fierce women --- including one never-before-published novella --- Laura Lippman showcases why she is one of today’s top crime writers.
THE STARLESS CROWN by James Rollins (Fantasy/Adventure)
An alliance embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the secrets of the distant past and save their world in this captivating, deeply visionary adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling thriller-master James Rollins.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Julia Kelly, Jean Chen Ho, Xochitl Gonzalez
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.
Wednesday, December 22nd at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey and Patti Callahan Henry --- will talk to María Amparo Escandón, whose latest novel is L.A. WEATHER, a Reese's Book Club pick.
Wednesday, December 29th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Sarah MacLean, whose latest novel, BOMBSHELL, is the opening installment of her Hell's Belles series.
Tuesday, January 4th at 7pm ET: Books Are Magic: Jean Chen Ho will be in conversation with Cathy Park Hong about her debut novel, FIONA AND JANE, which traces the lives of two young Taiwanese American women as they navigate friendship, sexuality, identity and heartbreak over two decades.
Wednesday, January 5th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Sally Hepworth (THE GOOD SISTER) and Kelly Rimmer (THE WARSAW ORPHAN).
Thursday, January 6th at 4pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Julia Kelly as she discusses her new book, THE LAST DANCE OF THE DEBUTANTE, with Kristin Harmel.
Thursday, January 6th at 7pm ET: Flatiron Books: Join Flatiron Books for the virtual launch of Xochitl Gonzalez's debut novel, OLGA DIES DREAMING, and an online celebration of Día de los Reyes Magos! Xochitl will be in conversation with actress and musician Jessica Pimentel.
Thursday, January 6th at 7pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Michael Robotham will discuss his new psychological thriller, WHEN YOU ARE MINE, in which a young female police officer faces danger on all fronts --- from a clever victim of abuse, her colleagues on the force and even her own mobster father.
"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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Xochitl Gonzalez (OLGA DIES DREAMING)
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James Rollins (THE STARLESS CROWN)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Looking Back on Your 2021 Reading
How many print books did you read in 2021?
How many e-books did you read in 2021?
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1-10
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11-20
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21-30
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31-40
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41-50
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51-75
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76-100
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More than 100
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None
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I’m not sure.
How many audiobooks did you listen to in 2021?
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1-10
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11-20
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21-30
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31-40
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41-50
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51-75
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76-100
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More than 100
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None
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I’m not sure.
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I didn’t listen to any audiobooks in 2021, but I would like to start in 2022.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, January 7th 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 December 17th to January 7th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE MAID by Nita Prose and OLGA DIES DREAMING by Xochitl Gonzalez.
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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