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A Whole Lot of Planning Going On
It’s been one super busy week as I’m juggling current projects, noodling new ideas, and writing sympathy thank you notes. I have the world’s worst handwriting, so I’m inserting typed notes into cards for the latter!
I am bemoaning loudly that my days in the pool when it was in the 80s are behind me...and, ah, the weeks when it was 88 were really blissful. I am not ready for fall this week. I am ready to start gluing leaves back on the trees. The cooler temperatures mean that the garden is looking a lot better. Yowser, the heat this summer fried a lot. We refreshed all the herb pots, and those should carry us through at least part of the winter. Tom and I were at the garden center last week in the pouring rain; he’s happy as this meant we were not trudging around looking for more perennials. Twenty percent off did not give me enough incentive to walk in a downpour.
I also am lining up a number of authors for interviews in the weeks ahead. My personal life got in the way of trying to schedule anything these past six weeks or so, but “Bookreporter Talks To” will be back the week of September 26th when our producer, Jordan, gets back from a vacation out west with her family. I also am working on “Bookaccino Live” Book Group scheduling for October and November, as well as early next year. Yes, late September is a great time for planning.
We hosted this month’s “Bookaccino Live” preview event on Wednesday afternoon. I talked about 22 books releasing between now and October 4th, along with 11 from November, that we wanted to get on your radar. You can watch it here and see a list of the featured titles here.
Next month’s “Bookaccino Live” preview event will take place on Wednesday, October 12th at 2pm ET. I will present titles releasing between October 11th and November 1st, in addition to a few from December, that we think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. 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.
Ian McEwan, the bestselling author of ATONEMENT and SATURDAY, is back with his 18th novel, LESSONS, which tells the 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.
Harvey Freedenberg has our review and says, “Roland Baines is an unremarkable man who leads an undistinguished life. But given McEwan’s sensitivity and emotional acuity, it would be a grave mistake to conclude that it’s an uninteresting one. There are ample moments of joy and sadness amid the accretion of days that unfold, one after the next, to create a life story. He’s so adept at evoking his fictional creation’s struggles that it’s necessary to remind oneself at times that they exist only on the page.”
Maggie O’Farrell follows up her New York Times bestseller and National Book Award winner HAMNET with her eagerly awaited new novel, THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT. In 1561, Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, is taken on an unexpected visit to a country villa by her husband, Alfonso. As they sit down to dinner, it occurs to Lucrezia that Alfonso has a sinister purpose in bringing her there. He intends to kill her. What is Lucrezia to do with this sudden knowledge? What chance does she have against Alfonso, ruler of a province and a trained soldier?
According to our reviewer Norah Piehl, “O’Farrell’s storytelling is masterful. Most scenes are told from Lucrezia’s perspective, and they build a complex and nuanced picture not only of this bright and sensitive young woman but also of those who surround her.… I fully expect that over the next few months, this unforgettable book will be the historical novel that everyone is reading and fervently discussing.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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SOLITO: In his debut memoir, which is this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick, young poet Javier Zamora tells the unforgettable story of his harrowing migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine. Jenna says, “I hope that this book will be an instrument of change and will be a start to a conversation about what so many families sacrifice.”
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ONE HUNDRED SATURDAYS: Here is the remarkable story of 99-year-old Stella Levi, whose conversations with writer Michael Frank over the course of six years bring to life the vibrant world of Jewish Rhodes, the deportation to Auschwitz that extinguished 90 percent of her community, and the resilience and wisdom of the woman who lived to tell the tale.
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THE WAYS WE HIDE: This highly anticipated new novel from Kristina McMorris follows her million-copy bestseller, SOLD ON A MONDAY. Inspired by stunning true accounts, this sweeping World War II tale centers on an illusionist whose recruitment by British intelligence sets her on a perilous, heartrending path.
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THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS: Sally Koslow’s 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. As I noted last week, this will be a Bets On pick; don’t miss my commentary in next week’s newsletter. I also look forward to interviewing Sally soon!
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My latest Bets On picks are CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid and the aforementioned BULLY MARKET by Jamie Fiore Higgins, both of which we reviewed last week. Click on each of the titles for my commentaries.
Fall Preview Update
In this week’s Fall Preview contest, we gave away ANYWHERE YOU RUN by Wanda M. Morris, which releases on October 25th. We plan to announce more contests shortly!
Word of Mouth Reminder
We’re awarding DREAMLAND by Nicholas Sparks and SUSPECT by Scott Turow to the winners of our Word of Mouth contest. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, September 23rd at noon ET, and you’ll have a chance to win both these titles. Please note that the release date for SUSPECT has changed from September 20th to the 27th.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 30 fiction titles releasing this month you are planning to read. Click here to let us know.
It was announced this week that Oprah’s latest Book Club pick is THAT BIRD HAS MY WINGS by Jarvis Jay Masters, the moving memoir of a Death Row inmate who discovers Buddhism and becomes an inspirational role model for fellow inmates, guards and a growing public. Originally released in 2009, the book has now been reissued with a foreword by spiritual teacher Pema Chödrön, who has long championed Masters’ cause.
Oprah says, “Years ago, I was given a memoir by Jarvis Jay Masters. His story, of a young boy victimized by addiction, poverty, violence, the foster care system, and later the justice system, profoundly touched me then, and still does today.” Over the next few weeks, Oprah will discuss the book on the social media platforms of Oprah’s Book Club, followed by a one-on-one interview with Masters from San Quentin.
The longlists for this year’s National Book Awards have been announced. Click here to see all 50 titles in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature. They include IF I SURVIVE YOU by Jonathan Escoffery (Fiction), LOST & FOUND: A Memoir by Kathryn Schultz (Nonfiction), BALLADZ by Sharon Olds (Poetry), THE BOOKS OF JACOB written by Olga Tokarczuk, translated from the Polish by Jennifer Croft (Translated Literature), and MAIZY CHEN’S LAST CHANCE by Lisa Yee (Young People’s Literature). The finalists will be named on October 4th, followed by the announcement of the winners during an awards ceremony on November 16th.
News & Pop Culture
“Five Days at Memorial” on Apple TV+: I had read the book FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink a number of years ago, but seeing the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina on Memorial Hospital in New Orleans gave it even more meaning to me. The last episode airs tonight. There is so much to think about as I watch this, including one startling moment when in the three-inch binder of “what to do,” there are no notes for this kind of emergency; there was no playbook. The hospital did not reopen for a decade. If you are in a book club, this would be a great read/watch/discuss project.
The Emmys: The show needed work. The selections were all over the place. I feel like those voting watched a limited number of programs and series, and they missed a lot. No matter how good the show (I'm looking at you, “Succession”), can there not be others nominated instead of multiples for one program? Also, when people win, they could save a lot of show time by not sitting there in some version of stunned when their name is called. Only X number of people were nominated. No name sounds like yours. Go up and get your award. Consider that the script!
“Industry”: I am up to season two. It’s workplace paranoia and sexism laced with drugs, sex, drinking and not enough rock ’n’ roll to balance it.
I have a new knitting project going on. It’s called Nuance, and it’s by Shibui. Now, you see how they have some colors that they suggest there? Could I just do those? NO, of course not. Instead, I am working on my own palette. Noire+Juniper+Cove is beautiful. So is Cove+Caper+Pollen. I bought Cove and Juniper, and they are much closer in color than what one sees on this page. I have some greenish aqua yarn from Shibui around, and some gold and turquoise (no surprise there). We shall see how this turns out! Oh, and remember I said I never would knit with silk/mohair fiber yarn again? Well, metal circular needles are making this a whole lot easier. I do not really love cowls, but the texture on this one looks great.
In case you are wondering, my other two blanket projects still are works in progress. I needed something quick, easy and kind of mindless. I also inherited eight bags of yarn and a bag of needles and patterns from my mom. I am making up packages for some friends who enjoy knitting! I am laughing that neither of us had metal round size 10 needles among our needle stashes.
I also am resting up as Monday morning I plan to rise very early to watch Queen Elizabeth's funeral. For those of you who would like to catch up on all things monarchy without watching nonstop coverage this weekend, may I suggest THE PALACE PAPERS by Tina Brown as the book to read?
Tom is away playing golf this weekend. I am looking forward to spending some time with my dad on Saturday. Next Thursday is his 93rd birthday, and we are taking him to dinner at one of his favorite places. I was happy to hear that he got out to play 18 holes of golf last week!
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Featured Review: LESSONS by Ian McEwan
LESSONS by Ian McEwan (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Simon McBurney
When the world is still counting the cost of the Second World War and the Iron Curtain has closed, 11-year-old Roland Baines' life is turned upside down. Two thousand miles from his mother's protective love, stranded at an unusual boarding school, his vulnerability attracts piano teacher Miss Miriam Cornell, leaving scars as well as a memory of love that will never fade. Now, when his wife vanishes, leaving him alone with his tiny son, Roland is forced to confront the reality of his restless existence. As the radiation from Chernobyl spreads across Europe, he begins a search for answers that looks deep into his family history and will last for the rest of his life. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT
by Maggie O’Farrell
THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT by Maggie O'Farrell (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Genevieve Gaunt
Florence, the 1550s. Lucrezia, third daughter of the grand duke, is comfortable with her obscure place in the palazzo: free to devote herself to her own artistic pursuits. But when her older sister dies on the eve of her wedding to the ruler of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio, Lucrezia is thrust into the limelight: the duke is quick to request her hand in marriage and her father just as quick to accept on her behalf. Having barely left girlhood behind, Lucrezia must now enter an unfamiliar court where her arrival is not universally welcomed. Perhaps most mystifying of all is her new husband himself, Alfonso. Is he the playful sophisticate he appeared to be before their wedding, or the ruthless politician before whom even his formidable sisters seem to tremble? 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 read our review.
Featured Review: SOLITO by Javier Zamora
September’s “Read with Jenna”
Today Show Book Club Pick
SOLITO: A Memoir by Javier Zamora (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Javier Zamora
Nine-year-old Javier Zamora embarks on a 3,000-mile journey from his small town in El Salvador, through Guatemala and Mexico, and across the U.S. border. He leaves behind his beloved aunt and grandparents to reunite with a mother who left four years ago and a father he barely remembers. Traveling alone amid a group of strangers and a “coyote” hired to lead them to safety, Javier expects his trip to last two short weeks. But he cannot foresee the perilous boat trips, relentless desert treks, pointed guns, arrests and deceptions that await him. Nor can he know that those two weeks will expand into two life-altering months alongside fellow migrants who will come to encircle him like an unexpected family. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's "Read with Jenna" pick.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid
and BULLY MARKET by Jamie Fiore Higgins
CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
I started reading CARRIE SOTO IS BACK when I was on vacation. Taylor Jenkins Reid has the ability to draw me into a great story quickly, and I knew this was the perfect time to get away. Let me start by saying that I knew very little about tennis going into this. Sure, I had hit a bit when I was younger, but I never took it seriously or watched it on TV. I was aware of the majors and when they happened, but I wasn’t familiar with most of the names except for the big ones (yes, Serena among them). So, with the U.S. Open on the horizon, I was ready to drop into Taylor’s tale about tennis.
Carrie Soto is wickedly competitive. She is also 37, and her body feels it. She has been out of competition for a while. But when she hears that her record of Grand Slam wins is about to be broken by Nicki Chan, she mobilizes, literally, and gets back to training. Her dad is her coach (I see the Serena parallels, too), so he starts working on a practice schedule for her and watching tapes of her competitors, many of whom are much younger. He was a tennis great who moved to the United States from Argentina. If anyone knows what it would be like for her to come back, it’s him. But the media is not so quick to champion Carrie. Her hardened attitude through the years of winning at any cost, and not being gracious in defeat, has turned many off. Still, with all this against her, she plugs away.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on CARRIE SOTO IS BACK.
BULLY MARKET: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs by Jamie Fiore Higgins (Business & Economics/Memoir)
Over the last few years, what happens in the financial industry has had its time in the spotlight with shows like “Billions” on Showtime and “Industry” on HBO. You watch and think life on Wall Street is really over the top. But that is the Hollywood fictionalized version, right? So when I heard Jamie Fiore Higgins talking about BULLY MARKET: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs at a Simon & Schuster preview event, I was intrigued. After all, her book is a memoir, not some storyline gone wild just to drive ratings.
The book is a complete page-turner. Why? Not only does it chronicle the life of a woman on Wall Street, it’s an honest look at a woman saying who she was, what she became through her years working at Goldman Sachs, and who she is now. Let me reel things back. Jamie graduated from Bryn Mawr at a time when Goldman Sachs was recruiting people who were not business majors, with an eye on broadening the knowledge base of their team. After a crazy number of interviews, she was hired and dropped into the fast-paced world of finance. In the beginning she “didn’t know a stock from a rock.” But she learned quickly, working long hours --- and achieving rapid success. Her first bonus was twice what she thought it would be. And oh, that money was seductive.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit Jamie Fiore Higgins' website.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on BULLY MARKET.
Featured Review: ONE HUNDRED SATURDAYS
written by Michael Frank, artwork by Maira Kalman
ONE HUNDRED SATURDAYS: Stella Levi and the Search for a Lost World by Michael Frank, with artwork by Maira Kalman (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Frank
With nearly a century of life behind her, Stella Levi had never before spoken in detail about her past. Then she met Michael Frank. He came to her Greenwich Village apartment to ask her a question about the Juderia, the neighborhood in Rhodes where she’d grown up in a Jewish community that had thrived there for half a millennium. Neither of them could know this was the first of 100 Saturdays that they would spend in each other’s company as Stella traveled back in time to conjure what it felt like to come of age on this luminous, legendary island in the eastern Aegean, which the Italians began governing as an official possession in 1923 and transformed over the next two decades until the Germans seized control and deported the entire Juderia to Auschwitz. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE WAYS WE HIDE
by Kristina McMorris
THE WAYS WE HIDE by Kristina McMorris (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell
As a little girl raised amid the hardships of Michigan's Copper Country, Fenna Vos learned to focus on her own survival. Though she performs onstage as the assistant to an unruly escape artist, behind the curtain she's the mastermind of their act. Ultimately, controlling her surroundings and eluding traps of every kind helps her keep a lingering trauma at bay. Yet for all her planning, Fenna doesn't foresee being called upon by British military intelligence. Tasked with designing escape aids to thwart the Germans, MI9 seeks those with specialized skills for a war nearing its breaking point. But when a test of her loyalty draws her deep into the fray, Fenna discovers that no mission is more treacherous than escaping one's past. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS
by Sally Koslow
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Pick
THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS by Sally Koslow (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kendra Hoffman and Callie Beaulieu
It’s 2015 in New York City, and three women all known as Mrs. Tobias --- Veronika, the matriarch; her daughter-in-law, Mel; and Mel’s daughter-in-law, Birdie --- are trying to navigate personal difficulties, some of which are with one another. Veronika and Mel are both psychotherapists who are more skilled at helping other people than solving their own problems. Birdie, still dealing with the culture shock of moving to New York City and marrying into the Tobias clan, is pushed to her limit when her husband gets into trouble. Overwhelmed, she bolts --- along with the couple’s young daughter --- to her Midwestern hometown, hoping that space, warmth and wisdom from her own feisty grandmother will help her find a path forward. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
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.
More contests will be announced shortly!
This year's featured titles include:
* Please note that more books will be added to the feature soon.
Click here to read more about our featured titles.
THE MOSQUITO BOWL: A Game of Life and Death in World War II by Buzz Bissinger (History)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, college football was at the height of its popularity. As the nation geared up for total war, one branch of the service dominated the aspirations of college football stars: the United States Marine Corps. Which is why, on Christmas Eve of 1944, when the 4th and 29th Marine regiments found themselves in the middle of the Pacific Ocean training for what would be the bloodiest battle of the war, their ranks included one of the greatest pools of football talent ever assembled. The two regiments would play each other in a football game as close to the real thing as you could get in the dirt and coral of Guadalcanal. The bruising and bloody game that followed became known as “The Mosquito Bowl.” Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
MARPLE: Twelve New Mysteries by various authors (Mystery/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Alex Kingston, Adjoa Andoh, Miriam Margolyes, Celia Imrie, Chipo Chung, Adrian Scarborough, Anna Chancellor, Alison Steadman, Jodhi May, Cathy Tyson and Ramon Tikaram
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. Join Marple as she travels through her sleepy English village and around the world. In St Mary Mead, a Christmas dinner is interrupted by unexpected guests; the Broadway stage in New York City is set for a dangerous improvisation; bad omens surround an untimely death aboard a cruise ship to Hong Kong; and a bestselling writer on holiday in Italy is caught in a nefarious plot. These and other crimes committed in the name of love, jealousy, blackmail and revenge are ones that only the indomitable Jane Marple can solve. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
PATH LIT BY LIGHTNING: The Life of Jim Thorpe by David Maraniss (Sports/Biography)
Audiobook available, read by David Maraniss
Jim Thorpe rose to world fame as a mythic talent who excelled at every sport. He won gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, was an All-American football player at the Carlisle Indian School, the star of the first class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and played major league baseball for John McGraw’s New York Giants. Even in a golden age of sports celebrities, he was one of a kind. But despite his colossal skills, Thorpe’s life was a struggle against the odds. For all his travails, though, Thorpe did not succumb. The man survived, complications and all, and so did the myth. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (www.RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com).
BLOOD & INK: The Scandalous Jazz Age Double Murder That Hooked America on True Crime by Joe Pompeo (True Crime/History)
Audiobook available, read by Robert Petkoff
On September 16, 1922, the bodies of Reverend Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills were found on an abandoned farm outside of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The killer had arranged the bodies in a pose conveying intimacy. The murder of Hall --- a prominent clergyman whose wife, Frances Hall, was a proud heiress with illustrious ancestors and ties to the Johnson & Johnson dynasty --- would have made headlines on its own. But when authorities identified Eleanor Mills as a choir singer from his church married to the church sexton, the story shocked locals and sent the scandal ricocheting around the country, fueling the nascent tabloid industry. BLOOD & INK freshly chronicles what remains one of the most electrifying but forgotten murder mysteries in U.S. history. Reviewed by Cindy Burnett.
THE UNFOLDING by A.M. Homes (Alternate History/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Will Damron
The Big Guy loves his family, money and country. Undone by the results of the 2008 presidential election, he taps a group of like-minded men to reclaim their version of the American Dream. As they build a scheme to disturb and disrupt, the Big Guy also faces turbulence within his family. His wife, Charlotte, grieves a life not lived, while his 18-year-old daughter, Meghan, begins to realize that her favorite subject --- history --- is not exactly what her father taught her. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE FINAL EQUINOX: A Theo Cray and Jessica Blackwood Thriller by Andrew Mayne (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Will Damron and Jennifer O'Donnell
A signal is detected at the outer edge of the solar system. Computational biologist Dr. Theo Cray and magician-turned-FBI-agent Jessica Blackwood are looking --- and listening --- a little closer. The man at the center of this cosmic mystery is billionaire Thomas T. Theismann. He’s spent a lifetime --- and a fortune --- trying to find out if we’re alone in the universe. Highly skeptical, Theo joins the effort to find the source of the signal, and he quickly enlists Jessica to look into the suspicious death of another academic at the lab. As their investigations converge, they uncover curious connections to the otherworldly contact, including a 1970s science-fiction writer and the body of an astronaut found buried in an ancient tomb. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
BAD DAY BREAKING: A Bad Axe County Novel by John Galligan (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Samantha Desz
A strange religious sect has arrived in Bad Axe County, Wisconsin. Armed with guns, an enigmatic spiritual leader and his followers set up their compound in an abandoned storage lot. It’s not long before rumors start to spread of sadistic rituals and a planned takeover of the local government. But when one of the followers is found dead in the river, that’s when full-on panic sets in. Sheriff Heidi Kick may not be a fan of the new group, but she is also dismayed by the hostile reaction of the Bad Axe community. With a murder investigation on her hands, the situation becomes more complicated when Sheriff Kick finds out that an ex-boyfriend from her youth is out on parole early and looking to hunt her down. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
DO YOU TAKE THIS MAN by Denise Williams (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by January LaVoy and Teddy Hamilton
Divorce attorney RJ would never describe herself as romantic. But when she ends up officiating an unplanned wedding for a newly engaged couple in a park, her life is turned upside down. The video of the ceremony goes viral, and she finds herself in the unlikely position of being a sought-after local wedding officiant. Former pro-football event manager Lear is a people person, but after his longtime girlfriend betrayed him, he isn’t looking for love. He knows how to execute events and likes being in control, so working with an opinionated and inflexible officiant who can’t stand him is not high on his list. Surrounded by love at every turn, their physical attraction pulls them together despite their best efforts to stay an arm’s length apart. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
MR. PERFECT ON PAPER by Jean Meltzer (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Dara Rosenberg
As the creator and CEO of the popular Jewish dating app J-Mate, matchmaker Dara Rabinowitz knows the formula for lasting love --- at least, for everyone else. When it comes to her own love life, she’s been idling indefinitely. Until her beloved bubbe shares Dara’s checklist for “The Perfect Jewish Husband” on national television, and charming news anchor Chris Steadfast proposes they turn Dara’s search into must-see TV. As a non-Jewish single dad, Chris doesn’t check any of Dara’s boxes. But her hunt for Mr. Perfect is the ratings boost his show desperately needs. If only Chris could ignore his own pesky attraction to Dara --- a task much easier said than done when Dara starts questioning if “perfect on paper” can compete with how hard she’s falling for Chris. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
BRONZE DRUM: A Novel of Sisters and War by Phong Nguyen (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Quyen Ngo
In 40 CE, in the Au Lac region of ancient Vietnam, two daughters of a Vietnamese Lord fill their days training, studying and trying to stay true to Vietnamese traditions. While Trung Trac is disciplined and wise, always excelling in her duty, Trung Nhi is fierce and free-spirited, more concerned with spending time in the gardens and with lovers. But these sisters' lives --- and the lives of their people --- are shadowed by the oppressive rule of the Han Chinese. When Trung Trac and Trung Nhi's father is executed, their world comes crashing down around them. With no men to save them against the Han's encroaching regime, they must rise and unite the women of Vietnam into an army. Reviewed by Carly Silver.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 20th
Below are some notable titles releasing on September 20th 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 19th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
ABOMINATIONS: Selected Essays from a Career of Courting Self-Destruction by Lionel Shriver (Essays)
ABOMINATIONS is a striking collection of essays from the prize-winning New York Times bestselling author of SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO, SO MUCH FOR THAT and THE POST-BIRTHDAY WORLD.
THE AMERICAN ADVENTURESS by C. W. Gortner (Historical Fiction)
THE AMERICAN ADVENTURESS is the story of Jennie Jerome Churchill, mother of Winston, a New York-born heiress who always lived life on her own terms.
THE BULLET THAT MISSED: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery by Richard Osman (Mystery)
A new mystery is afoot in this third installment of the Thursday Murder Club series from million-copy bestselling author Richard Osman.
DAPHNE by Josh Malerman (Thriller/Horror)
Horror has a new name: Daphne. A brutal, enigmatic woman stalks a high school basketball team in a reimagining of the slasher genre by the New York Times bestselling author of BIRD BOX.
DREAMLAND by Nicholas Sparks (Romance)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE WISH comes a poignant love story about risking everything for a dream --- and whether it’s possible to leave the past behind.
KILL ME IF YOU CAN by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins (Hard-boiled Mystery)
Mike Hammer hits his 75th anniversary hard --- after the disappearance of Velda --- in this brand-new case between KISS ME, DEADLY and THE GIRL HUNTERS, based on an unproduced screenplay from Mickey Spillane’s archives.
LESS IS LOST by Andrew Sean Greer (Fiction/Humor)
In this follow-up to the bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning LESS, the awkward and lovable Arthur Less returns in an unforgettable road trip across America.
LUCY BY THE SEA by Elizabeth Strout (Fiction)
From Pulitzer Prize–winning author Elizabeth Strout comes a poignant, pitch-perfect novel about a divorced couple stuck together during lockdown --- and the love, loss, despair and hope that animate us even as the world seems to be falling apart.
THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT by Lynda Cohen Loigman (Historical Fiction)
Lynda Cohen Loigman's THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT is a heartwarming story of two extraordinary women from two different eras who defy expectations to realize their unique talent of seeing soulmates in the most unexpected places.
MISTBORN: SECRET HISTORY by Brandon Sanderson (Fantasy/Adventure)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, MISTBORN: SECRET HISTORY sheds light on events hidden in the shadows of the original Mistborn trilogy.
A TRUTH TO LIE FOR: An Elena Standish Novel by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
A lethal new weapon endangers all of Europe --- unless Elena Standish can rescue an ingenious scientist from Hitler’s clutches --- in this action-packed mystery by bestselling author Anne Perry.
WEALTH MANAGEMENT by Edward Zuckerman (Thriller)
For fans of Jess Walter and Gary Shteyngart comes a financial thriller featuring three Ivy League MBAs who must put their lopsided love triangle aside to snare international terrorists.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Nicholas Sparks, Elizabeth Strout, Richard Osman
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.
Monday, September 19th at 8pm ET: Random House Studio Sessions: Random House Studio Sessions is Random House's new event series featuring live conversations with the biggest names on your bookshelf, filmed in their studio and broadcast virtually to wherever you are. Join Nicholas Sparks as he discusses his new novel, DREAMLAND, with Allison Pataki, author of THE MAGNIFICENT LIVES OF MARJORIE POST.
Tuesday, September 20th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome New York Times bestselling author, producer and television presenter Richard Osman for a live virtual event to celebrate the release of THE BULLET THAT MISSED as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. He will be in conversation with internationally bestselling author Shari Lapena.
Tuesday, September 20th at 6pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Anne Perry will discuss her new mystery, A TRUTH TO LIE FOR, in which a lethal new weapon endangers all of Europe --- unless Elena Standish can rescue an ingenious scientist from Hitler’s clutches.
Tuesday, September 20th at 8pm ET: Random House Studio Sessions: Elizabeth Strout will be in conversation with essayist and novelist Pico Iyer about her new novel, LUCY BY THE SEA. She will discuss returning to the beloved characters of Lucy Barton and her ex-husband, William, and why their dynamic continues to be such a rich source of inspiration.
Wednesday, September 21st at 3pm ET: Murder By The Book: Murder By The Book teams up with The King's English and One More Page to host Joe Hill in conversation with Richard Osman about Osman's third Thursday Murder Club mystery, THE BULLET THAT MISSED.
Wednesday, September 21st 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 Shelby Van Pelt about her debut novel, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES.
Wednesday, September 21st at 8:30pm ET: Book Passage: Yiyun Li will be in conversation with Garth Greenwell about her new novel, THE BOOK OF GOOSE, a magnificent, beguiling tale winding from the postwar rural provinces to Paris, from an English boarding school, to the quiet Pennsylvania home where a woman can live without her past.
"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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Sally Koslow (THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS)
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Lynda Cohen Loigman (THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT)
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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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