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The Bees and the Lawn --- and the Peonies
Thanks to those of you who wrote such lovely notes about my mother-in-law’s passing last week. You shared such kind thoughts. I will respond to each of you individually, but know your words were much appreciated by both Tom and me.
Tom has a tractor that he uses to cut the lawn and plow the driveway. It did not work this winter because of a battery issue. Luckily it did not snow a lot. The issue was resolved last week but not before the grass attained a new height. But when he went to cut the lawn, the mower made a really horrific sound, and he promptly turned it off. It seems there is also something wrong with the mower mechanism. Now the lawn is looking really bad, something like a field where cows could graze. We have THAT house on the block, and I am not happy. I try not to look out the window.
Greg told us that there is something called “No Mow May.” Seriously. Supposedly this helps the bees and other pollinators. I thought he was making it up, but here is an article about it. I want to get a sign for our lawn that says, “We are Observing No Mow May to Support Bees and Pollinators.” Now I just have to hope that the insanely expensive parts to fix the lawn mower portion of the tractor arrive by Tuesday. I do not think there is a “No Mow June.” And the bees better take note of our support and not bite us this summer!
This is how the peonies play out year after year. I wait for them to bloom, and just as they pop, the forecast turns to rain. So I run around like a lunatic clipping them and making huge arrangements all over the house. If it rains, the little petals end up on the ground in little beige globs. Or pale pinkish beige globs for the pink ones. Luckily only a few ants accompanied them into the house, and I shook them back outside. I am admiring these because soon there will be a little monsoon of the petals from these arrangements all over whatever table they sit on. But ahhhh, the beauty and the fragrance until that moment!
We hosted a “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event on Wednesday night with Janet Skeslien Charles, which will be up on our YouTube channel on Tuesday. We had such a great discussion about her novel, THE PARIS LIBRARY, which is now out in paperback. But we also trailed off in a few other directions, talking about book clubs and bookish memories. One was about my loving the bookmobile in my town when I was growing up. This prompted a lovely note with a bookish memory from Debbie, who has joined us as an on-stage participant at many of our programs.
“You brought back great memories when you talked about the bookmobile. I was born in 1952 in a town where the one library was not accessible to someone whose mother didn’t drive and whose parents were not readers. I remember being in first grade and seeing the bookmobile, which was only available to fourth, fifth and sixth graders, parked in front of the school.
“Finally, the day arrived when I could get a library card and visit the bookmobile, which came once a month, but I could only borrow two books. Eventually, the bookmobile came to my neighborhood every two weeks, and I remember that sound as it lowered itself closer to the ground. I would climb in and sit on the floor because all the kids’ books were on the bottom shelves. I was always in the way of the adults who kept tripping over me. At first I was limited to five books, which was wonderful and disappointing at the same time because I would finish the books before the bookmobile made its next visit in two weeks. Finally, the neighborhood was big enough to warrant a visit every week at different places in the neighborhood. That was heaven!
“I have been a book lover since the day I learned to read and an unabashed book hoarder since I became an adult and I could buy books that I could keep forever. I will always love the bookmobile, which played such a significant part in my life!”
Anyone else with a memory like that?
We have two new “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews to share with you in this newsletter.
First up is Chris Pavone, whose newly released novel, TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON, will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. This riveting thriller centers on Ariel Price, who wakes up on her vacation in Lisbon to find her husband missing. The more the police search, the more questions surface, such as: What was he really there to do?
Chris talked to me about his choice to keep women as lead characters in his books. He also discussed the slow crawl of his thrillers, the inspiration that led him to set a book in Lisbon, and the truth behind his final sentences (with no spoilers, of course). Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
We will share our review of TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON and my Bets On commentary over the next few weeks. In the meantime, we posted a discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com, which you can find here. We also will be giving away the book in a Summer Reading contest that will be going up in June, so please be on the lookout for that.
I also had the pleasure of catching up with Kim Michele Richardson, whose new novel, THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2019’s THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK. This time, readers are introduced to Honey Lovett, the daughter of the beloved Troublesome book woman, Cussy Mary Carter. Honey picks up the same pack horse library trail as her mother, but she still has countless struggles as she brings the books where they need to go.
Kim Michele talked to me about the success of THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK and why she decided to continue the story. She also discussed sequels, extraordinary women and the value of books. Click here to listen to the podcast.
Nora Roberts is back with a new romantic suspense novel, NIGHTWORK. Here, she introduces readers to Harry Booth, a master thief with a code of honor and an expertise in not attracting attention...or getting attached. That is, until he meets Miranda Emerson, and the powerful bond between them upends all his rules.
Jennifer McCord has our review and says, “Nora Roberts has a natural talent for creating original characters and a true gift for storytelling. NIGHTWORK never fails to engage readers, drawing them through the suspenseful storyline, from the very beginning right up until the satisfying end.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
MUSTIQUE ISLAND by Sarah McCoy, which we reviewed earlier this month, is my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Click here to read my commentary. If you missed my interview with Sarah, you can watch it here and listen to the podcast here.
Books Dad Will Want to Read…and Can Win!
There’s still plenty of time to enter our 17th annual Father’s Day contest. We’re giving five readers the opportunity to win 12 outstanding fiction and nonfiction titles for themselves or their dad. Among them are DREAM TOWN: An Archer Novel by David Baldacci, THE MATCH by Harlan Coben, and MY SEVEN BLACK FATHERS: A Young Activist's Memoir of Race, Family, and the Mentors Who Made Him Whole by Will Jawando. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, June 17th at noon ET.
Summer Reading Update
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away THE HONEYMOON COTTAGE by Lori Foster and SUMMER ON THE ISLAND by Brenda Novak. Next week’s prizes will be A CARIBBEAN HEIRESS IN PARIS by Adriana Herrera and MEANT TO BE by Emily Giffin. The first contest of the week will be up on Tuesday, May 31st at noon ET.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, June 10th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win SPARRING PARTNERS by John Grisham (which we will review next week) and TRACY FLICK CAN’T WIN by Tom Perrotta (an upcoming Bets On selection that we plan to review in two weeks).
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
How many physical books (hardcovers or paperbacks) do you usually take with you on a weekend trip? That’s our latest poll question; let us know what you do by clicking here.
In our previous poll, we listed 25 titles that released in paperback this month and asked which of them, if any, you have read or are planning to read. Here are your top five picks: MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid (44%), THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS by Kristin Harmel (37%), THE PLOT by Jean Hanff Korelitz (35%), THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS by Pip Williams (34%), and FALLING by T. J. Newman (34%). Click here for all the results.
The winner of this year’s International Booker Prize is TOMB OF SAND by Geetanjali Shree, translated from Hindi by Daisy Rockwell. This is the first book originally written in any Indian language to win the International Booker Prize, and the first novel translated from Hindi to be recognized by the award. Set in northern India, the novel follows the adventures of an 80-year-old woman who unexpectedly gains a new, and highly unconventional, lease on life.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
We had a lot of reader mail this week.
Bonnie wrote about THE PAPER PALACE by Miranda Cowley Heller: “I loved your interview, and it helped me appreciate the book even more than I already did. But I have to ask you a question. I didn’t feel like following the whole Reddit 'how did the book end?' email thread. Miranda mentioned that she changed her mind on the second-to-last page! Of course I knew that you wouldn’t discuss the ending. But I’m dying to hear from someone with your astute judgment: How did the book end? Who did she choose? I would love your feedback. I plan to follow your book interviews. I thoroughly enjoy seeing great interviews like this after finishing a great book. And the interviewer is often even more significant than the person being interviewed for making sure that it goes well. Great job, Carol.” I wrote her privately about my thoughts on the ending, but if you read the last three pages carefully, I think you will understand it.
Felice wrote about winning an advance copy of HELLTOWN: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer on Cape Cod by Casey Sherman in a recent contest: “THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm really looking forward to reading this! Bookreporter is marvelous!”
Ella Jean wrote, “I just received THE LIONESS by Chris Bohjalian and THE HOMEWRECKERS by Mary Kay Andrews. I won these in the Word of Mouth contest. I am so excited and thrilled to have won these by two of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to finish what I am reading to read these. Thank you!”
Marilyn wrote, “Thank you for the great news letting me know I have won (and have received) the book AND THERE HE KEPT HER by Joshua Moehling in a recent Bookreporter.com contest! As an avid reader, I have added this book to my summer reading stack and look forward to enjoying an author new to me. As a fairly new subscriber to Bookreporter, I am amazed by the quality of each and every newsletter I receive in my email. The Bookreporter website contains a wealth of new and interesting information on book reviews, as well as nice overviews on many of the authors associated with the books reviewed. This website is well done and one I have even shared with my local librarian. The more people who know about it, the better for all of us book lovers. Thanks to everyone involved in putting together Bookreporter, which I am sure is a labor of love too!” Thank you, Marilyn, for sharing the newsletter and for being a new subscriber.
Joan wrote, “Thank you so much for all the great books you suggest. I was thrilled to win a copy of SUMMER ON THE ISLAND by Brenda Novak. Earlier yesterday I had decided that this would be the perfect book to buy for a friend who lives in Alabama, but they are thinking of retiring to North Carolina. I had gone through all your recent picks to decide what would be the best one. Now we can enjoy a mini book club discussion from Alabama to Canada as we will each have our own copy. I hope everyone on the Bookreporter staff enjoys a lovely summer and happy reading.”
The Gray Man: This film, based on the book by Mark Greaney, will be in select theaters on July 15th, followed by its Netflix release on July 22nd. Take a look at the trailer here.
Top Gun: Maverick: I think I have a need to see this film. Tom Cruise is one person who can lure me to the movie theater (the other is Daniel Craig).
Tom came home from Costco with a HUGE box of Tate’s Cookies, inspired by Lisa Scottoline’s book, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS (which happens to be one of our Father's Day prize titles). Now I never do an afternoon cookie break, but I ran down, opened the box and ate two. In the name of book reminiscing. I see myself doing lot of “book reminiscing” this weekend. I can feel it. And when my bathing suit does not fit, am I to blame Lisa, Tom or the Bennetts? Speaking of Lisa Scottoline, I am not sure how many of you read her weekly humorous essay column, or subscribe to get it in your mailbox on Sunday mornings. Last week’s column, called “Top Gun,” was really funny. If you read this newsletter before Sunday morning at 8:30am ET, you can find last week’s column here.
A long weekend is ahead. Greg is still in Canada at his Land Rover event. Cory is headed to a wedding and going camping. Gardening is on the agenda. The pool is open and looks amazing! But I think it needs to warm up a bit for me to swim. Of course, there is always the wetsuit!
Monday is the town parade, which gives us a chance to honor our veterans. I will be there; it is one of my favorite events of the year. I hope that you will find a way to honor Memorial Day as well.
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!
Now Available: TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON by Chris Pavone
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON by Chris Pavone (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by January LaVoy
Ariel Pryce wakes up in Lisbon, alone. Her husband is gone --- no warning, no note, not answering his phone. Something is wrong. She starts with hotel security, then the police, then the American embassy, at each confronting questions she can’t fully answer: What exactly is John doing in Lisbon? Why would he drag her along on his business trip? Who would want to harm him? And why does Ariel know so little about her new --- much younger --- husband? The clock is ticking. Ariel is increasingly frustrated and desperate, running out of time, and the one person in the world who can help is the one person she least wants to ask.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Chris Pavone.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more about the book.
TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary, along with our review of the book, in June.
Featured Review: NIGHTWORK by Nora Roberts
NIGHTWORK by Nora Roberts (Romantic Suspense)
Audiobook available, read by Will Damron
Harry Booth started stealing at the age of nine to keep a roof over his ailing mother’s head. When she finally succumbed to cancer, he left Chicago --- but kept up his nightwork, developing into a master thief with a code of honor and an expertise in not attracting attention...or getting attached. Until he meets Miranda Emerson, and the powerful bond between them upends all his rules. But along the way, Booth has made some dangerous associations, including the ruthless Carter LaPorte. Knowing LaPorte will leverage any personal connection, Booth abandons Miranda for her own safety and disappears. But the bond between Miranda and Booth is too strong, pulling them inexorably back together. Now Booth must face LaPorte, to truly free himself and Miranda once and for all. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: WITH A MIND TO KILL
by Anthony Horowitz
WITH A MIND TO KILL: A James Bond Novel by Anthony Horowitz (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Rory Kinnear
Behind the Iron Curtain, a group of former Smersh agents want to use James Bond in an operation that will change the balance of world power. Bond is smuggled into the lion's den. But whose orders is he following, and will he obey them when the moment of truth arrives? In a mission where treachery is all around and one false move means death, Bond must grapple with the darkest questions about himself. But not even he knows what has happened to the man he used to be. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 17th Annual
Father's Day Contest: Best Books for Dad
Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and loved us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? In our 17th annual "Best Books for Dad" contest, we have a selection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for Dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five readers will be awarded a copy of each of our 12 featured titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, June 17th at noon ET.
This year's prize books are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
MUSTIQUE ISLAND by Sarah McCoy
MUSTIQUE ISLAND by Sarah McCoy (Fiction)
In MUSTIQUE ISLAND, Sarah McCoy transported me to this island that, aside from its sandy shores and blue water, has a storied history of being the playground for Princess Margaret and Mick Jagger. As a friend who has vacationed there at Christmas for more than two decades has told me, what happens on Mustique stays on the island. Over the holidays you will not hear what celebrities there are doing; it’s known to be a place where respect is given to those vacationing. So this trip there with Sarah’s characters is just brilliant fun.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Sarah McCoy.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to visit Sarah McCoy's website.
Featured Review: BOOK OF NIGHT by Holly Black
BOOK OF NIGHT by Holly Black (Supernatural Thriller/Dark Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Sara Amini
Charlie Hall has spent half her life working for gloamists, magicians who manipulate shadows to peer into locked rooms, strangle people in their beds, or worse. Gloamists guard their secrets greedily, creating an underground economy of grimoires. And to rob their fellow magicians, they need Charlie Hall. Now, she’s trying to distance herself from past mistakes, but getting out isn’t easy. Bartending at a dive, she’s still entirely too close to the corrupt underbelly of the Berkshires. Not to mention that her sister, Posey, is desperate for magic and that Charlie's shadowless, and possibly soulless, boyfriend has been hiding things from her. When a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie descends into a maelstrom of murder and lies. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: OUR LAST DAYS IN BARCELONA
by Chanel Cleeton
OUR LAST DAYS IN BARCELONA by Chanel Cleeton (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Almarie Guerra, Elena Rey and Victoria Villarreal
Barcelona, 1964. Exiled from Cuba after the revolution, Isabel Perez goes to Spain in search of her missing sister, Beatriz. But it’s an unearthed piece of family history that ultimately transforms her life. Barcelona, 1936. Alicia Perez arrives in Barcelona after a difficult voyage from Cuba, her marriage in jeopardy and her young daughter, Isabel, in tow. When Cubans journey to Spain to join the International Brigades, Alicia’s past comes back to haunt her as she is unexpectedly reunited with the man who once held her heart. Alicia and Isabel’s lives intertwine, and the past and present collide, as a mother and daughter are forced to choose between their family’s expectations and following their hearts. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 18th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer will be here before you know it! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through the end of August, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, May 31st at noon ET.
This year’s prize books include:
Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
SOMETHING WILDER by Christina Lauren (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Patti Murin and Jon Root
Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession…or much money in the bank. But Lily is nothing if not resourceful, and now she uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. It pays the bills but doesn’t leave enough to fulfill her dream of buying back the beloved ranch her father sold years ago, and definitely not enough to deal with the sight of the man she once loved walking back into her life with a motley crew of friends ready to hit the trails. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
HIDE by Kiersten White (Supernatural Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emma Galvin
The challenge: Spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don’t get caught. The prize: Enough money to change everything. Even though everyone is desperate to win --- to seize a dream future or escape a haunting past --- Mack is sure she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she’s an expert at that. It’s the reason she’s alive and her family isn’t. But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes that this competition is even more sinister than she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE SHORE by Katie Runde (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Andi Arndt, Priya Ayyar, Dan Bittner and Inés del Castillo
Brian and Margot Dunne live year-round in Seaside with their daughters, Liz and Evy. The Dunnes run a real estate company, but their future becomes quite precarious when Brian develops a brain tumor. Amidst the chaos and new caretaking responsibilities, Liz still seeks out summer adventure and flirting with a guy she should know better than to pursue. Her younger sister, Evy, works in a candy shop, falls in love with her friend Olivia, and secretly adopts the persona of a middle-aged mom in an online support group, where she discovers her own mother’s most vulnerable confessions. Meanwhile, Margot faces an impossible choice driven by grief, impulse and the ways that small-town life in Seaside has shaped her. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
SLEEPWALK by Dan Chaon (Literary Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by John Pirhalla
At 50 years old, Will Bear has been living off the grid for over half his life. A good-natured henchman with a complicated and lonely past and a passion for LSD microdosing, he spends his time hopscotching across state lines in his beloved camper van, running sometimes shady, often dangerous errands for a powerful and ruthless operation. Out of the blue, one of Will's many burner phones heralds a call from a 20-year-old woman claiming to be his biological daughter. She’s entrenched in a widespread and nefarious plot involving Will’s employers, and for Will to continue to have any contact with her increasingly fuzzes the line between the people he's working for and the people he’s running from. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
AVALON by Nell Zink (Fiction)
Bran’s Southern California upbringing is anything but traditional. After her mother joins a Buddhist colony, Bran is raised by her “common-law stepfather” on Bourdon Farms --- a plant nursery that doubles as a cover for a biker gang. She spends her days tending plants, slogging through high school, and imagining what life could be if she had been born to a different family. And then she meets Peter, a beautiful, troubled and charming train wreck of a college student from the East Coast, who launches his teaching career by initiating her into the world of literature and aesthetics. As the two begin a volatile and ostensibly doomed long-distance relationship, Bran searches for meaning in her own surroundings. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
THE EVENING HERO by Marie Myung-Ok Lee (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Raymond J. Lee
Dr. Yungman Kwak is in the twilight of his life. Every day for the last 50 years, he has headed to Horse Breath’s General Hospital, where he treats the women and babies of the small rural Minnesota town he chose to call home. He immigrated from Korea after the Korean War, forced to leave his family, ancestors, village and all that he knew behind. But his life is built on a lie. And one day, a letter arrives that threatens to expose it. His life is thrown into chaos --- the hospital abruptly closes, his wife refuses to spend time with him, and his son is busy investing in a struggling health start-up. Yungman faces a choice --- he must choose to hide his secret from his family and friends, or confess and potentially lose all he’s built. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE MURDER RULE by Dervla McTiernan (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Kate Orsini, Sophie Amoss and Michael Crouch
First Rule: Make them like you. Second Rule: Make them need you. Third Rule: Make them pay. They think I’m a young, idealistic law student, that I’m passionate about reforming a corrupt and brutal system. They think I’m working hard to impress them. They think I’m here to save an innocent man on death row. They're wrong. I’m going to bury him. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
GUMSHOE OUTLAW: A Mortimer Angel Mystery by Rob Leininger (Mystery)
The U.S. attorney general, Susan D. Kenny, is missing. She walked out of the DOJ building in D.C. without a word to anyone, caught a taxi, and...vanished. A week later, Mortimer Angel, private eye (in training) and reluctant finder of famous missing persons, is surreptitiously contacted by a Secret Service agent and asked to fly to the nation’s capital to use his ineffable brand of skill, talent or just plain luck to help find the still-missing attorney general. Mort declines that dubious honor, but less than 12 hours later he is taken at gunpoint by --- who else? --- a gorgeous girl and dragged into the most risqué and improbable case of his career. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on May 31st
Below are some notable titles releasing on May 31st 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 May 30th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery comes a story of friends who become family, giving each other courage to start over.
HALF-BLOWN ROSE by Leesa Cross-Smith (Fiction)
From the award-winning author of THIS CLOSE TO OKAY comes an irresistible story of a woman remaking her life after her husband’s betrayal leads to a year of travel, art and passion in Paris.
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY by David Sedaris (Humor/Essays)
In HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, David Sedaris once again captures what is most unexpected, hilarious and poignant about these recent upheavals, personal and public, and expresses in precise language both the misanthropy and desire for connection that drive us all.
THE LATECOMER by Jean Hanff Korelitz (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of THE PLOT, Jean Hanff Korelitz’s THE LATECOMER is a layered and immersive literary novel about three siblings, desperate to escape one another, and the upending of their family by the late arrival of a fourth.
MEANT TO BE by Emily Giffin (Fiction)
A restless golden boy and a girl with a troubled past navigate a love story that may be doomed before it even begins.
A RIP THROUGH TIME by Kelley Armstrong (Mystery/Thriller)
In this series debut from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong, a modern-day homicide detective finds herself in Victorian Scotland --- in an unfamiliar body --- with a killer on the loose.
SPARRING PARTNERS by John Grisham (Crime Fiction)
#1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham is the acknowledged master of the legal thriller. In his first collection of novellas, law is a common thread, but America’s favorite storyteller has several surprises in store.
SWEET SWEET REVENGE LTD written by Jonas Jonasson, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles (Fiction/Dark Humor)
The beloved author of THE HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED returns with an enchanting adventure that skewers the greed and hypocrisy that dominates our time and holds lessons about what’s truly important in life.
THE WEDDING DRESS SEWING CIRCLE by Jennifer Ryan (Historical Fiction)
Three plucky women lift the spirits of home-front brides in wartime Britain, where clothes rationing leaves little opportunity for pomp or celebration --- even at weddings --- in this heartwarming novel based on true events.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Susan Mallery, Richard O'Rawe, Nell Zink
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
As so many book and author events are happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.
Tuesday, May 31st at 5pm ET: Community Bookstore: Nell Zink joins Community Bookstore to present her new novel, AVALON, the irresistible story of one teenager’s reckoning with society at large and her search for a personal utopia. She will be in conversation with Emily Gould.
Wednesday, June 1st at 5pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: James Lee Burke will discuss his latest novel, EVERY CLOAK ROLLED IN BLOOD, which is a continuation of his epic Holland family saga.
Wednesday, June 1st 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 Sarah McCoy and Chanel Cleeton about their latest novels, MUSTIQUE ISLAND and OUR LAST DAYS IN BARCELONA. Christina Lauren, author of SOMETHING WILDER, will appear on the Aftershow.
Wednesday, June 1st at 9pm ET: Third Place Books: Third Place Books welcomes Susan Mallery for a presentation of her latest novel, THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP. She will be joined in conversation by fellow bestselling author Kristin Harmel.
Thursday, June 2nd at 2pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Richard O'Rawe will talk about his new thriller, GOERING'S GOLD, which marks the return of ex-IRA soldier Ructions O'Hare.
Thursday, June 2nd at 6pm ET: Vroman's Bookstore: "Vroman's Live!" presents James Lee Burke, in conversation with Linwood Barclay, about his new thriller, EVERY CLOAK ROLLED IN BLOOD.
"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 are our latest interviews:
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Chris Pavone (TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON) Video | Podcast
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Kim Michele Richardson (THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER) Podcast
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Chris Bohjalian (THE LIONESS)
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Kimberly Brock (THE LOST BOOK OF ELEANOR DARE)
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Julie Clark (THE LIES I TELL)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Books as Traveling Companions
How many physical books (hardcovers or paperbacks) do you typically take with you on a weekend trip?
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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More than 5
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None
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I only read e-books.
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I only listen to audiobooks.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, June 10th 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 May 27th to June 10th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of SPARRING PARTNERS by John Grisham and TRACY FLICK CAN'T WIN by Tom Perrotta.
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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