Carrie Soto, Tennis and Me!
We are back! It was a very quiet week off. I read --- and slept --- a lot. The reading was terrific, so I am bringing you four upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On selections.
I finished Alice Feeney's DAISY DARKER at the start of the vacation week, and as I was reading it, I kept thinking, “It was a dark and stormy night.” There are a few twists; one I guessed early on, but keep in mind that I am the person who guesses what is going on with movies early on too. It makes my husband crazy! The other twists Alice got me on. I am hoping to interview her in a couple of weeks; I like her prose, and she has a real way with words. I was marking up one phrase after another. This is just one of the reasons that it will be a Bets On pick, and I will have my commentary in a couple of weeks.
According to our reviewer Sarah Rachel Egelman, “Readers who appreciate red herrings and love to hate characters should enjoy this entertaining locked-room mystery…. [T]hose looking for an atmospheric and chilling story of familial strife, vengeance and justice set on a dark and stormy night will want to sink their teeth into this one.” Sarah is dead-on right; these are not very lovable characters!
Next I started tennis lessons... I mean, reading CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I confess to never grasping the scoring process in tennis. You start at 15, go to 30 and then 40, and love means zero. I never figured it out, and even back in the days when I used to whack the ball around, I never kept score. Well, that may be because I had no real talent. And I never watched tennis.
But by the time I finished the book, I was watching the US Open like our resident tennis viewing pro, Tom Donadio. Well, I am still stumped on how one breaks serve. I just know Carrie Soto did that a lot in her career.
Now back to the book. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline as Carrie attempts a comeback against a much younger woman who has threatened her record. I loved the setting of the four majors, and all that happens on and off the court. Taylor was not someone who played or watched a lot of tennis before writing this book, which may be why I loved it so much. She wrote in a way that made me enjoy not just the plot, but also the tennis. I need Taylor to write a book about golf. I mean, birdie? Eagle?
We are featuring our review of the book from Rebecca Munro this week. Here’s a preview: “With themes of good sportsmanship (in every aspect of life), the cost of greatness and the power of perseverance, CARRIE SOTO IS BACK is an epic, compulsively readable and often heart-stopping look at female drive, ambition and vulnerability. Much like her titular character, Taylor Jenkins Reid is BACK.” I will share by Bets On commentary next week.
Next I picked up Sally Koslow's THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS, which is on sale Tuesday. Sally and I worked together many moons ago at Mademoiselle magazine. I always have enjoyed her writing style, and once again she delivered here. We have three very different women all known as Mrs. Tobias. Veronika is the matriarch; Mel is her daughter-in-law; and Birdie is Mel’s daughter-in-law. All three have challenges, and how they navigate them is what is at the heart of the story. I am hoping to schedule an interview with Sally where we can delve into her writing more, as well as how she developed her characters and their challenges. I do not want to give away any more; I will save that for my Bets On commentary. We will have our review next week if all goes as planned.
I finished my vacation reading with Lisa Unger’s SECLUDED CABIN SLEEPS SIX. Ah, it’s a locked-room thriller with so many creepy angles in it. Three couples go away for a weekend in an amazing luxury cabin, which has stellar views and all the trappings of a great getaway, including my particular favorite --- a hot tub! A storm is rolling in. These three couples have some very complicated pasts. Just how well do they know each other? And the rental host... Let’s just say he really keeps an eye on them. But just when you think you may have things figured out, the board flips and...well, you will have to read it to see what happens when it releases on November 8th. And yes, it will be my fourth Bets On selection.
Legendary storyteller Stephen King returns with his latest surefire bestseller, FAIRY TALE, which is about a 17-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war. The stakes could not be higher --- for that world or ours.
Ray Palen has our review and says, “FAIRY TALE never disappoints and delivers on every single level. Most of all, it shows us why Stephen King is our greatest living writer. This is a weighty novel at nearly 600 pages, yet it doesn’t feel like it. It’s an absolute pleasure read filled with one colorful character after another, especially our young hero, who you will not soon forget.”
We were shocked to hear that Stephen King’s longtime friend, award-winning author Peter Straub, passed away Sunday at the age of 79 due to complications from a broken hip. His daughter, novelist Emma Straub, announced the sad news on Instagram, calling him “the smartest and most fun person in every room he was ever in.” Straub wrote numerous novels --- including GHOST STORY, IN THE NIGHT ROOM and A DARK MATTER --- and collaborated with King on THE TALISMAN and the sequel, BLACK HOUSE.
Here's what Ray Palen, a huge fan of Straub’s work, has to say about his illustrious career and legacy: “In 1979, Peter Straub released GHOST STORY. It was not his first novel, but in my opinion it was his best. As a fan of the horror genre since my youth, I can proudly state that I have not read, and probably will not read, many novels that come close in scope to that classic work. Straub had me as a lifelong fan from that moment on. He had his biggest commercial success when he combined efforts with the great Stephen King on the dark fantasy novel, THE TALISMAN, and the sequel, BLACK HOUSE. Straub’s passing leaves behind a legacy of horror, suspense and dark fiction that has left its mark on the literary world. He was a unique voice who will not soon be forgotten.”
A couple of months ago, I raved in the newsletter about BULLY MARKET, a memoir based on Jamie Fiore Higgins’ nearly two-decade career at Goldman Sachs. The book is now in stores, and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it. Jamie became one of the few women at the highest ranks of Goldman Sachs. Spurred on by the obligation she felt to her working-class immigrant family, she rose through the ranks and saw it all: out-of-control, lavish parties flowing with never-ending drinks; affairs flouted in the office; rampant drug use; and, most pervasively, a discriminatory culture that seemed designed to hold back the few women and people of color employed at the company.
Norah Piehl has our review and says, “One hopes that readers not only will be stunned and saddened by Jamie Fiore Higgins’ individual experience, but will be spurred to action, to examine their own professional situations with clear eyes and a commitment to improve practices in their own industries.” BULLY MARKET will be a Bets On selection; don’t miss my commentary in next week’s newsletter. Last week, I celebrated the book's release at Jamie’s really fun launch party. You can see the two of us above.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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OTHER BIRDS: Sarah Addison Allen’s new novel is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment on a tiny South Carolina island, she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors --- including a girl on the run, two estranged middle-aged sisters, a lonely chef, a legendary writer and three ghosts. Each with their own story. Each with their own longings. Each whose ending isn’t yet written.
On Tuesday, October 4th at 3pm ET, B&N will host a live virtual event with Sarah to talk about the book. She will be joined in the discussion by Shannon DeVito, the Director of Category Management at B&N, and Miwa Messer, B&N’s Editorial Director. You can sign up by clicking here.
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A SONG OF COMFORTABLE CHAIRS: In this 23rd installment of Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Grace Makutsi encounters a pair of quandaries that will require all of her and Mma Ramotswe’s cleverness and generosity to resolve.
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THE LOST GIRLS OF WILLOWBROOK (Costco’s “Buyer’s Pick” for September): Ellen Marie Wiseman blends fact, fiction and urban legend for a haunting story about a young woman mistakenly imprisoned at Willowbrook State School, the real-life institution later shuttered for its heartbreaking abuses.
Fall Preview Update
Our next Fall Preview contest will be up on Tuesday at noon ET. The prize book will be ANYWHERE YOU RUN by Wanda M. Morris, which releases on October 25th. After the murder of a white man in Jim Crow Mississippi, two Black sisters run away to different parts of the country. But can they escape the secrets they left behind?
This Month’s New in Paperback Feature
Our New in Paperback roundups are now available for September. We’re featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as Diana Gabaldon (GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE), Anthony Doerr (CLOUD CUCKOO LAND), Lauren Groff (MATRIX), Gary Shteyngart (OUR COUNTRY FRIENDS), and Louise Erdrich (THE SENTENCE); nonfiction titles, including SMILE: A Memoir by Sarah Ruhl, VANDERBILT: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe, and THE BOYS: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family by Ron Howard and Clint Howard; and paperback originals like THE WAYS WE HIDE by Kristina McMorris and THE AMERICAN ADVENTURESS by C. W. Gortner.
Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Lisa Unger
Out in paperback this week is LAST GIRL GHOSTED by the aforementioned Lisa Unger, a riveting thriller about an online dating match turned deadly cat-and-mouse game. I talked to Lisa about the book last October, so if you missed the interview or would like to take another look at it, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
Books on Screen Offerings for September
We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. September’s roundup includes the season premieres of "The Handmaid's Tale" on Hulu and "Big Sky" on ABC, along with the season finale of "Tales of the Walking Dead" on AMC; the series premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" on Amazon Prime Video and the conclusion of "Five Days at Memorial" on Apple TV+; the continuation of HBO's "House of the Dragon"; the films Blonde, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, The Silent Twins and The Good House; and the DVD releases of Where the Crawdads Sing and The Forgiven.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, September 23rd at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win DREAMLAND by Nicholas Sparks and SUSPECT by Scott Turow.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
For our latest poll, we’ve listed 30 fiction titles releasing this month, and we’re asking you which, if any, you’re planning to read. Click here to let us know.
In honor of our 26th anniversary, our previous poll asked how long you’ve been a Bookreporter reader. Here’s a peek at the results: 5-10 years (25%) 21-26 years (21%, 11% of whom have been with us since 1996), 11-15 years (19%), and 16-20 years (16%). Click here for the full breakdown. WOW to the 11% who have been visitors of the site from the very beginning! We love seeing that.
Jenna Bush Hager has selected SOLITO as September’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Javier Zamora tells the story of his harrowing migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine. Jenna says, “It was a beautiful book about family, those that we have and those that we make, and the little family that they made on their journey, which was almost sort of ‘Iliad’-esque. An epic journey to their loved ones, because they had no choice.” We look forward to featuring our review in next week’s newsletter.
Margaret Wilkerson Sexton’s new novel, ON THE ROOFTOP, is this month’s Reese’s Book Club pick. Reese says, “Set in the 1950s in San Francisco, this book centers around an incredibly talented group of singing sisters and their fierce mom, Vivian, who has big dreams of them becoming famous. An utterly original and brilliant story about learning how to mother children who have very different dreams and how to encourage them to reach for the stars.”
This month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick is THE FORTUNES OF JADED WOMEN by Carolyn Huynh, a debut that follows a family of estranged Vietnamese women --- cursed to never know love or happiness --- as they reunite when a psychic makes a startling prediction. Carolyn tells “GMA,” “If you love stories about messy women who never learn from their mistakes, this book has a cast of over 14+ Vietnamese women who are all trying to find themselves, while trying to navigate complicated family dynamics. Speaking of mess, their love lives are even messier.”
For more September selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
This is your last Bookreporter newsletter reminder to sign up for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” preview event, which will take place next Wednesday, September 14th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between September 13th and October 4th, along with a few from November, that I would like to get on your radar. Click here to register. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.
The shortlist for this year’s Booker Prize was announced this week. The six titles are GLORY by NoViolet Bulawayo, SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE by Claire Keegan, TREACLE WALKER by Alan Garner, THE TREES by Percival Everett, THE SEVEN MOONS OF MAALI ALMEIDA by Shahan Karunatilaka, and OH WILLIAM! by Elizabeth Strout. The winner will be revealed at the Roundhouse in London on October 17th.
Also, Kirkus Reviews has announced the finalists for the ninth annual Kirkus Prize in Fiction, Nonfiction and Young Readers’ Literature. They include TRUST by Hernan Diaz (Fiction), THESE PRECIOUS DAYS: Essays by Ann Patchett (Nonfiction), and THE YEAR WE LEARNED TO FLY by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López (Young Readers’ Literature). Click here for all the nominees. The winners will be announced on October 27th in a ceremony at the Austin Central Library in Austin, Texas. The ceremony, which will be livestreamed on Kirkus’s YouTube channel, will be the first in-person one since 2019.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Joan wrote, “Just wanted to let you know that FOX CREEK arrived today. Book mail is THE best mail. And it arrived a day after my birthday. Thank you so much for picking me.”
“Partner Track” on Netflix: For a group of lawyers who are on the partner track and waiting for the announcement of this year’s new partners, well, the game is on. And once again, we see it’s not just about what you know, but WHO you know! I enjoyed it and, oh, Season Two has been ordered.
“Industry” on HBO: Here we have a group of recent graduates all vying for a limited number of positions at Pierpoint & Co, a top bank in London. What happens off the floor is as interesting as what happens on the floor. I was thinking of BULLY MARKET when watching it. I felt like an edge was needed all day and all night long, and there is not a whole lot of kindness and encouragement going on.
“Selling The OC” on Netflix: Skip the drama and crazy fashion (though there was one floral pantsuit that I loved) and check out the houses. Then realize what kind of postage stamp lots they are on. Guess this is the price for lots of sunshine, beach access and views? Do not make a drinking game out of the word “views.”
Humor as I am watching the US Open, with John McEnroe commentating. Since I watched “Never Have I Ever” on Netflix, for which he does the voiceovers, I am endlessly amused now hearing him talk all things tennis.
I am now reading HONOR by Thrity Umrigar, which will be out in paperback on September 27th. This is a book that I had wanted to read when it was out in hardcover in January, so I am happy to be catching up on reading it now. I am hoping to interview Thrity, whose book THE SPACE BETWEEN US came out in 2006 and remains one of my favorite novels.
I will be watching more US Open tennis this weekend. I am pulling for Ons Jabeur from Tunisia in the women’s final. On the men's side, I will be rooting for Frances Tiafoe, the American, but first he needs to win his semifinal match tonight against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain (they are currently in the fifth set of what has been an incredible match!). If he loses, then I'll be pulling for Casper Ruud from Norway, who advanced to the finals today.
Greg is in Maine this weekend at a photography seminar. I am not sure about Cory’s plans. Between watching people super talented at hitting balls on the court, I will be floating in the pool, reading and plucking some weeds. And oh, we have to replace some herbs that really did not survive the hot summer.
I still need to reach out to MANY of our readers to reply to sympathy notes about my mom’s passing. Know that I am making my way through these, albeit slowly. I want to write back to each of you who wrote, and it’s taking some time to acknowledge each lovely note. Part of me today pictures my mom having tea with the Queen; both dressed impeccably. And that made me smile.
Mercury is retrograde. Longtime readers will know what that means. New readers, it's time to catch up! Those traveling or trying to do any kind of communicating, beware!
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: FAIRY TALE by Stephen King
FAIRY TALE by Stephen King (Supernatural Thriller/Dark Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Seth Numrich
Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, but he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was 10, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself --- and his dad. When Charlie is 17, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it. Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Pick
CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Stacy Gonzalez and a full cast
By the time she retires from tennis, Carrie Soto is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed 20 Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan. At 37 years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
CARRIE SOTO IS BACK will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: DAISY DARKER by Alice Feeney
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Pick
DAISY DARKER by Alice Feeney (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Racine
Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Now, after years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in her crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. When the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours. But at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows. Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide goes out and all is revealed. 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.
DAISY DARKER will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in the September 23rd newsletter.
Featured Review: BULLY MARKET by Jamie Fiore Higgins
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Pick
BULLY MARKET: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs by Jamie Fiore Higgins (Business & Economics/Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Jamie Fiore Higgins
Jamie Fiore Higgins became one of the few women at the highest ranks of Goldman Sachs. Spurred on by the obligation she felt to her working-class immigrant family, she rose through the ranks and saw it all: out-of-control, lavish parties flowing with never-ending drinks; affairs flouted in the office; rampant drug use; and, most pervasively, a discriminatory culture that seemed designed to hold back the few women and people of color employed at the company. Despite Goldman Sachs having the right talking points and statistics, Fiore Higgins soon realized that these provided a veneer to cover up what she found to be an abusive culture. BULLY MARKET sounds the alarm on the culture of finance and corporate America, while offering clear, actionable ideas for creating a fairer workplace. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit Jamie Fiore Higgins' website.
Click here to read our review.
BULLY MARKET will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: OTHER BIRDS by Sarah Addison Allen
September’s Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick
OTHER BIRDS by Sarah Addison Allen (Fiction/Magical Realism)
Audiobook available, read by Siiri Scott
Down a narrow alley in the small coastal town of Mallow Island, South Carolina, lies a stunning cobblestone building comprised of five apartments. It’s called The Dellawisp, and it is named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy. When Zoey Hennessey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment at The Dellawisp, she meets her quirky, enigmatic neighbors. Each with their own story. Each with their own longings. Each whose ending isn’t yet written. When one of them dies under odd circumstances the night Zoey arrives, she is thrust into the mystery of The Dellawisp, which involves missing pages from a legendary writer whose work might be hidden there. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
» On Tuesday, October 4th at 3pm ET, Barnes & Noble will welcome Sarah Addison Allen for a live virtual event to discuss the book, which is September's B&N Book Club pick. Click here to sign up.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: A SONG OF COMFORTABLE CHAIRS
by Alexander McCall Smith
A SONG OF COMFORTABLE CHAIRS: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (23) by Alexander McCall Smith (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Lisette Lecat
Grace Makutsi’s husband, Phuti, is in a bind. An international firm is attempting to undercut his prices in the office furniture market. Phuti has always been concerned with quality and comfort, but this new firm seems interested only in profits. To make matters worse, they have a slick new advertising campaign that seems hard to beat. Nonetheless, with Mma Ramotswe’s help, Phtui comes up with a campaign that may just do the trick. Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi is approached by an old friend who has a troubled son. Grace and Phuti agree to lend a hand, but the boy proves difficult to reach. It will require not only all of their patience and dedication, but also the help of Mma Ramotswe and the formidable Mma Potokwani in order to help the child. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE LOST GIRLS OF WILLOWBROOK
by Ellen Marie Wiseman
Costco’s “Buyer’s Pick” for September
THE LOST GIRLS OF WILLOWBROOK by Ellen Marie Wiseman (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Morgan Hallett
Sage Winters’ twin sister, Rosemary, died from pneumonia six years ago. Their mother perished in a car crash, and Sage’s stepfather, Alan, resents being burdened by a responsibility he never wanted. Yet, despite living as near strangers in their Staten Island apartment, Sage is stunned to discover that Alan has kept a shocking secret: Rosemary didn’t die. She was committed to Willowbrook State School and has lingered there until just a few days ago, when she went missing. With no idea what to expect, Sage secretly sets out for Willowbrook, determined to find Rosemary. What she learns, once she steps through its doors and is mistakenly believed to be her sister, will change her life in ways she never could have imagined. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's Costco's "Buyer's Pick."
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 12th 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 weeks to come.
We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days between now and early 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, September 13th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include:
* Please note that more books will be added to the feature soon.
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
September’s New in Paperback Roundups
September's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes GO TELL THE BEES THAT I AM GONE, the ninth installment in Diana Gabaldon's epic Outlander series, which focuses on Jamie Fraser and Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser; Anthony Doerr's CLOUD CUCKOO LAND, a soaring story about children on the cusp of adulthood in worlds of peril, who find resilience, hope and a book; MATRIX, Lauren Groff's defiant and timely exploration of the raw power of female creativity in a corrupted world; OUR COUNTRY FRIENDS by Gary Shteyngart, an elegiac novel about love, friendship, family and betrayal revolving around eight friends, one country house and six months in isolation; and Lisa Unger's LAST GIRL GHOSTED, a riveting thriller about an online dating match turned deadly cat-and-mouse game in which secrets, obsession and vengeance converge.
Among our nonfiction highlights are SMILE, the extraordinary story of Sarah Ruhl's 10-year medical and metaphysical odyssey that brought her physical, creative, emotional and spiritual healing; VANDERBILT, a collaboration between journalist Anderson Cooper and historian Katherine Howe, who chronicle the rise and fall of a legendary American dynasty --- his mother’s family, the Vanderbilts; THE BOYS, a nostalgic, heartwarming and harrowing memoir from award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard and audience-favorite actor Clint Howard, who frankly and fondly share their unusual family story of navigating and surviving life as sibling child actors; and BROTHERS AND WIVES, the long-awaited follow-up to Christopher Andersen's DIANA'S BOYS, which explores the last 20 years in the lives of Princes William and Harry and the evolution of their relationship as adults.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
September 5th, September 12th, September 19th and September 26th.
September’s Books on Screen Feature
BACK TO THE GARDEN by Laurie R. King (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Vivienne Leheny
A magnificent house, vast formal gardens, a golden family that shaped California, and a colorful past filled with now-famous artists: the Gardener Estate was a 12th-century Eden. And now, just as the Estate is preparing to move into a new future, restoration work on some of its art digs up a grim relic of the home’s past: a human skull, hidden away for decades. Inspector Raquel Laing has her work cut out for her. Fifty years ago, the Estate’s young heir, Rob Gardener, turned his palatial home into a counterculture commune of peace, love and equality. But that was also a time when serial killers preyed on innocents --- monsters like The Highwayman, whose case has just surged back into the public eye. Could the skull belong to one of his victims? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE BAD ANGEL BROTHERS by Paul Theroux (Fiction/Dark Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Joe Knezevich
Cal has always lived in the shadow of his manipulative and domineering brother, Frank, who was doted upon by their mother and beloved by the girls in their small New England hometown --- including Cal’s own girlfriends. In an attempt to escape Frank’s intrusive presence, Cal pursues a different kind of freedom in the world’s wild spaces, prospecting for gold and precious minerals. Soon he is dripping in wealth, his pockets full of gold nuggets and emeralds, but the money means far less to him than his independence. As Cal’s success grows, so too does Frank’s power and his influence in Cal’s affairs, the devastating threat he creates at the center of his little brother’s life. When Frank decides to commit the ultimate betrayal, Cal is left with only one, final solution. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
YOU'RE INVITED by Amanda Jayatissa (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Shimali De Silva, Soneela Nankani and Deepa Samuel
When Amaya is invited to Kaavi’s over-the-top wedding in Sri Lanka, she is surprised and a little hurt to hear from her former best friend after so many years of radio silence. But when Amaya learns that the groom is her very own ex-boyfriend, she is consumed by a single thought: She must stop the wedding from happening, no matter the cost. But as the week of wedding celebrations begin and rumors about Amaya’s past begin to swirl, she can’t help but feel like she also has a target on her back. When Kaavi goes missing and is presumed dead, all evidence points to Amaya. However, nothing is as it seems as Amanda Jayatissa expertly unravels that each wedding guest has their own dark secret and agenda, and Amaya may not be the only one with a plan to keep the bride from getting her happily ever after. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE THREAD COLLECTORS by Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Robin Miles
1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician. Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. But when months go by without word from him, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him. The paths of these two women converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
THE WOMEN COULD FLY by Megan Giddings (Dystopian Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Angel Pean
Josephine Thomas has heard every conceivable theory about her mother's disappearance. The most worrying charge is that she was a witch. In a world where witches are real, peculiar behavior raises suspicions, and a woman --- especially a Black woman --- can find herself on trial for witchcraft. Fourteen years have passed, and Jo is finally ready to let go of the past. Yet her future is in doubt. The State mandates that all women marry by the age of 30 --- or enroll in a registry that allows them to be monitored, effectively forfeiting their autonomy. At 28, Jo is ambivalent about marriage. When she’s offered the opportunity to honor one last request from her mother's will, Jo leaves her regular life to feel connected to her one last time. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
BRIEFLY, A DELICIOUS LIFE by Nell Stevens (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Ferdelle Capistrano
In 1473, 14-year-old Blanca dies in a hilltop monastery in Mallorca. Nearly 400 years later, when George Sand, her two children and her lover Frederic Chopin arrive in the village, Blanca is still there. A spirited, funny, righteous ghost, she’s been hanging around the monastery since her accidental death, spying on the monks and the townspeople and keeping track of her descendants. Blanca is enchanted the moment she sees George, and the magical novel unfolds as a story of deeply felt, unrequited longing --- the impossible love of a teenage ghost for a woman who can’t see her and doesn’t know she exists. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE WORK WIFE by Alison B. Hart (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Soneela Nankani
Zanne Klein never planned to be a personal assistant to Hollywood royalty Ted and Holly Stabler. But a decade in at 38, that's exactly how she spends her days. However, today is no ordinary day at the Stabler estate. Tonight, everyone who's anyone will be there for the Hollywood event of the season, and if the party is a success, that chief of staff job Zanne has been chasing may soon be hers. Which means she can buy a house, give her girlfriend the life she deserves, and pay off her student loans. But when Ted’s former business partner, Phoebe Lee, unexpectedly shows up right before go time, Zanne suddenly has a catastrophe unfolding before her --- one with explosive consequences. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
IN SEARCH OF MARY SEACOLE: The Making of a Black Cultural Icon and Humanitarian by Helen Rappaport (Biography)
Raised in Jamaica, Mary Seacole first came to England in the 1850s after working in Panama. She wanted to volunteer as a nurse and aide during the Crimean War. When her services were rejected, she financed her own expedition to Balaclava, where her reputation for her nursing --- and for her compassion --- became almost legendary. Popularly known as “Mother Seacole,” she was the most famous Black celebrity of her generation --- an extraordinary achievement in Victorian Britain. However, after her death in 1881, she was largely forgotten. IN SEARCH OF MARY SEACOLE is the fruit of almost 20 years of research and reveals the truth about Seacole's personal life, her "rivalry" with Florence Nightingale and other misconceptions. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
HOUSE GODS: Sustainable Buildings and Renegade Builders by Jim Kristofic (Environment/Architecture)
Our buildings are making us sick. Our homes, offices, factories and dormitories are, in some sense, fresh parasites on the sacred Earth, Nahasdzáán. In search of a better way, Jim Kristofic journeys across the Southwest to apprentice with architects and builders who know how to make buildings that will take care of us. This is where he meets the House Gods, who are building to the sun so that we can live on Earth. Forever. In HOUSE GODS, Kristofic pursues the techniques of sustainable building and the philosophies of its practitioners. What emerges is a strange and haunting quest through adobe mud and mayhem, encounters with shamans and stray dogs, solar panels, tragedy and true believers. It is a story about doing something meaningful, and about the kinds of things that grow out of deep pain. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 12th and 13th
Below are some notable titles releasing on September 12th and 13th 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 September 12th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
September 12th
BLOWBACK by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois (Political Thriller)
A brilliant American president is also a psychopath. He has his finger on the red button. And he’s about to start a world war with our most dangerous enemy. Put your finger on the order button. Push it to read James Patterson’s best and scariest novel yet.
September 13th
ACT OF OBLIVION by Robert Harris (Historical Thriller)
From the bestselling author of FATHERLAND, THE GHOSTWRITER, MUNICH and CONCLAVE comes this spellbinding historical novel that brilliantly imagines one of the greatest manhunts in history: the search for two Englishmen involved in the killing of King Charles I and the implacable foe on their trail.
AN AFFAIR OF SPIES by Ronald H. Balson (Historical Thriller)
From the winner of the National Jewish Book Award comes AN AFFAIR OF SPIES, which tells of a spy mission to rescue a defector from Germany and prevent the Nazis from creating an atomic bomb.
HOW NOT TO DROWN IN A GLASS OF WATER by Angie Cruz (Fiction)
From "GMA" Book Club pick and Women's Prize finalist Angie Cruz, author of DOMINICANA, comes an electrifying new novel about a woman who has lost everything but the chance to finally tell her story.
I WALK BETWEEN THE RAINDROPS: Stories by T.C. Boyle (Fiction/Short Stories)
A virtuoso of the short form, T.C. Boyle returns with an inventive, uproarious and masterfully told collection of short stories characterized by biting satire, resonant wit and a boundless, irrepressible imagination.
LESSONS by Ian McEwan (Fiction)
From the bestselling author of ATONEMENT and SATURDAY comes the epic and intimate story of one man's life across generations and historical upheavals: from the Suez Crisis to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the fall of the Berlin Wall to the current pandemic, Roland Baines sometimes rides with the tide of history, but more often struggles against it.
MARPLE: Twelve New Mysteries by various authors (Mystery/Short Stories)
Agatha Christie’s legendary sleuth, Jane Marple, returns to solve 12 baffling cases in this brand-new collection, penned by a host of acclaimed authors skilled in the fine art of mystery and murder.
THE MOSQUITO BOWL: A Game of Life and Death in World War II by Buzz Bissinger (History)
Writing with the style and rigor that won him a Pulitzer Prize, Buzz Bissinger takes us from the playing fields of America’s campuses where boys played at being Marines, to the final time they were allowed to still be boys on that field of dirt and coral, to the darkest and deadliest days that followed at Okinawa.
OATH OF LOYALTY: A Mitch Rapp Novel by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills (Political Thriller)
Mitch Rapp confronts a very different kind of killer in this explosive new thriller in Vince Flynn’s #1 New York Times bestselling series, written by Kyle Mills.
PEOPLE PERSON by Candice Carty-Williams (Fiction)
The author of the “brazenly hilarious, tell-it-like-it-is first novel” (Oprah Daily) QUEENIE returns with another witty and insightful novel about the power of family --- even when they seem like strangers.
THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS by Sally Koslow (Fiction)
This sharply funny and big-hearted multi-generational story is about the deeply complicated relationships between mothers- and daughters-in-law, told through three women who marry into the same family.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Deanna Raybourn, Sarah Addison Allen, Lucy Foley
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
As many book and author events are still 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, September 13th at 8pm ET: Mystery to Me: Deanna Raybourn will be in conversation with “All the Books!” podcast host Liberty Hardy about her new novel, KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE. They’ve spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they're 60 years old, four women friends can’t just retire. It’s kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller.
Wednesday, September 14th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between September 13th and October 4th, along with a few from November, that she would like to get on your radar.
Wednesday, September 14th 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 Addison Allen and Lauren K. Denton about their new novels: Allen's THE OTHER BIRDS (this month's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick) and Denton's A PLACE TO LAND.
Thursday, September 15th at 3pm ET: Murder By The Book: Lizz Schumer, the books editor for Good Housekeeping, moderates a discussion between three of the 12 contributors to MARPLE: Twelve New Mysteries: Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley and Jean Kwok.
Thursday, September 15th at 4pm ET: Harvard Book Store: Harvard Book Store and Oblong Books, in partnership with Books & Books, Book Hampton, Politics & Prose and RJ Julia, welcome Man Booker Prize-winning author Julian Barnes for a discussion of his new novel, ELIZABETH FINCH. He will be joined in conversation by radio host Joe Donahue.
"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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Bonnie Garmus (LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY) Video | Podcast
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Casey Sherman (HELLTOWN: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer on Cape Cod)
Video | Podcast
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Scott Shepherd (SHOULD I FALL)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: September Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in September are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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ACT OF OBLIVION by Robert Harris
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BLOWBACK by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois
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THE BULLET THAT MISSED: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery, by Richard Osman
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DAPHNE by Josh Malerman
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DESPERATION IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
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DREAMLAND by Nicholas Sparks
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FAIRY TALE by Stephen King
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THE FORTUNES OF JADED WOMEN by Carolyn Huynh
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THE GIRL FROM GUERNICA by Karen Robards
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HAS ANYONE SEEN MY TOES? by Christopher Buckley
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HELL AND BACK: A Longmire Mystery, by Craig Johnson
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HOW NOT TO DROWN IN A GLASS OF WATER by Angie Cruz
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I WALK BETWEEN THE RAINDROPS: Stories, by T.C. Boyle
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LESS IS LOST by Andrew Sean Greer
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LESSONS by Ian McEwan
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LUCY BY THE SEA by Elizabeth Strout
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THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT by Maggie O'Farrell
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THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT by Lynda Cohen Loigman
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OATH OF LOYALTY: A Mitch Rapp Novel, by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills
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ON THE ROOFTOP by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
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PEOPLE PERSON by Candice Carty-Williams
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THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS by Sally Koslow
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ROBERT B. PARKER'S FALLOUT: A Jesse Stone Novel, by Mike Lupica
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SHRINES OF GAIETY by Kate Atkinson
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A SONG OF COMFORTABLE CHAIRS: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (23), by Alexander McCall Smith
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SUSPECT by Scott Turow
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TREASURE STATE: A Cassie Dewell Novel, by C.J. Box
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A TRUTH TO LIE FOR: An Elena Standish Novel, by Anne Perry
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THE WAYS WE HIDE by Kristina McMorris
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THE WINNERS by Fredrik Backman
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, September 23rd 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 September 9th to September 23rd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of DREAMLAND by Nicholas Sparks and SUSPECT by Scott Turow.
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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