May 5, 2023
 May 5, 2023Happy Cinco de Mayo April and May always are super busy around the office. Yesterday we watched authors previewing their books and being interviewed from 9:30-5:30 during Library Journal’s Day of Dialog. I wrote pages and pages of notes about upcoming titles, as we listened to one more interesting panel than the next. And with all of this, we only watched half of the programming, so I am going to carve out time to see the rest in the next few weeks. I have the world’s worst handwriting. If I send my husband to the supermarket with a list, I can guarantee that he will not be able to read at least two of the items. He has come home with some things in the shopping bags that perplex me. But he then points to my handwriting, and I see how he might not have been able to read what I wrote! What drives us crazy at most preview events is that while the authors are talking they rarely have a book or a blow-up of the cover behind them. And in intros, the on-sale dates usually are not mentioned. Both of these things would be such great visual cues as we plan our coverage. But, as always, we figure it all out!    This has been an interesting week of reading. I started off with a memoir, LIFE B: Overcoming Double Depression by Bethanne Patrick. I have known Bethanne for decades, though I have not seen her in a while. I am trying to remember where we met; it may have been in Charlottesville at the Virginia Festival of the Book. But I am not sure. In LIFE B, she written a very personal story about her diagnosis of double depression --- and how she is not just coping, but rather embracing life after getting treatment for it. After years where dark and sad thoughts haunted her, in her early 50s she made a decision to claw back her life and journey towards joy instead of depression. It was not an easy path, but one that she was determined to accomplish. This is a very candid memoir that I am sure was not always easy to write. It also reminds me that mental illness was something that was not addressed aggressively for decades. There is more honesty about it, treatment ideas and options for therapy than ever before. I knew that Bethanne was often troubled, but to read about the darkness that imbued her life made me all the more happy that she not only found the help she needed, but also is now living a more joyous life. After LIFE B, I opted for something on the lighter side and picked up YELLOWFACE by Speaking of lying, I have an early copy of THE LIE MAKER by Linwood Barclay that also is calling my name. In it, Jack Givens’ father is taken away by witness protection after telling Jack, “Your dad’s not a good person. Your dad killed people, son.” Jack is struggling as an author when he is pursued to create new identities for people who have reasons to be hidden. Jack’s idea is to use this as a way to find his father. But what danger can that bring? And is this really the smartest thing to do? With Linwood, I know this is going to be one very gripping thriller. All three of these books release on May 16th, and we will be talking more about them in the weeks to come.  Patti Callahan Henry’s much-talked-about new novel, THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA, is an Indie Next pick for May, a Barnes & Noble Book Club selection, and Simon & Schuster’s latest pick for their Book Club Favorites program. When a woman discovers a rare book that has connections to her past, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed. According to our reviewer Pamela Kramer, “The story is not as straightforward as it might seem, and there are plenty of twists to keep us reading as we race to find out what really happened to Flora. Plus, we want to know what Hazel will do and how she will live her life. Finishing the book leaves a warm, satisfied feeling in your heart. It's almost as if we, too, had visited Bridie's cozy cottage and been entertained and fed well at her table.” We also share this Q&A with Patti where she talks about her inspiration for the novel and the extensive research she conducted. On Tuesday, May 23rd at 1pm ET, members of the Simon & Schuster team will talk to Patti about the book. You can RSVP by clicking here. Then, on Tuesday, June 6th at 3pm ET, Barnes & Noble will host a live virtual event with Patti. She will be joined in the discussion by Shannon DeVito, the Sr. Director of Book Strategy and Customer Experience at B&N, and Miwa Messer, B&N’s Editorial Director. Click here to sign up.  THE FERRYMAN is the highly anticipated new thriller from Justin Cronin, whose New York Times bestsellers include THE PASSAGE, THE TWELVE and THE CITY OF MIRRORS. This riveting stand-alone novel is about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia --- where the truth isn't what it seems. Sarah Rachel Egelman has our review and says, “Readers familiar with Justin Cronin’s epic trilogy that began with THE PASSAGE will find some familiar themes and notes in his latest novel. A world in very rapid decline, simmering social tensions, extreme solutions, and complex and nuanced relationships: Cronin’s newest apocalypse shares much with his previous one. Still, THE FERRYMAN is unique in its settings and mechanics. It is a sweeping drama with some huge surprises and fascinating characters.”  Mary Beth Keane follows up 2019’s ASK AGAIN, YES (a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick), with her new novel, THE HALF MOON. Malcolm is a longtime bartender turned owner of the Half Moon. His wife, Jess, is a successful lawyer. For years they’ve been trying to have a baby, but financial pressures and the ongoing struggle with infertility have caused rifts in their marriage. When a blizzard hits their small town and everyone is snowed in, shocking secrets emerge, and the couple must confront some tough decisions --- both together and as individuals. Rebecca Munro has this to say in her review: “Depending on your life experiences thus far, you will find Keane’s takeaways either groundbreaking or validating, but you will never find them boring or without nuance. As always, her talent for distilling deeply personal reflections into crystalline prose is without parallel. Although her findings here are perhaps less earth-shattering than those of ASK AGAIN, YES, they are no less luminous or consuming.” Word of Mouth Reminder  CLYTEMNESTRA by Costanza Casati is our latest New Release Spotlight title. Fans of Madeline Miller’s CIRCE will want to read this blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece. This stunning debut follows Clytemnestra, the most notorious villainess of the ancient world and the events that forged her into the legendary queen. Here's what Rebecca Munro says about the book in her rave review: “Feminist retellings, particularly of Greek mythology, are not a new phenomenon in literature. But in her choosing of Clytemnestra, her careful research into the queen and numerous other characters, and her razor-sharp, wonderfully cadenced prose, Casati announces herself as a thrilling new voice in the genre, every bit worthy of standing next to greats like Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint. She achieves what every retelling should: employing well-known beats and measures and writing them in a fresh voice with stunning nuance and vivid, fiercely feminist imagery to make them feel new but eternal, as classic as their origins.” Our Mother's Day Author Blog Series is Back! Your Last Chance to Enter Our Mother's Day Contest Summer Reading Update This Month’s New in Paperback Feature Revisiting FIVE “Bookreporter Talks To” Interviews
Books on Screen Offerings for May Remember to Vote in Our Poll  It was announced this week that THE COVENANT OF WATER is Oprah’s latest Book Club pick. This long-awaited new novel from Abraham Verghese, who wrote the major word-of-mouth bestseller CUTTING FOR STONE, is set in Kerala, South India, and follows three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret. Oprah says, “It’s one of the best books I’ve read in my entire life. It’s epic. It’s transportive. Many moments during the read I had to stop and remember to breathe. I couldn’t put the book down until the very last page. It was unputdownable!” Verghese appeared with Oprah on “CBS Mornings” to talk about the book and how his family's history inspired it. Click here to watch the interview. Be sure to join Oprah, Abraham Verghese and Oprah's Book Club readers for a special discussion of THE COVENANT OF WATER on OprahDaily.com, following the reading schedule that you can find on this page. We will be posting our review over the next few weeks.    Reese Witherspoon has picked DID YOU HEAR ABOUT KITTY KARR? by debut novelist Crystal Smith Paul as her book club selection for May. Reese says, “It’s all about this movie star named Kitty Karr who had to make all these sacrifices to be successful during the golden age of Hollywood. When she passes away, she randomly leaves her fortune to three sisters, and it raises a lot of questions for these women. One of the sisters, Elise, actually discovers something in Kitty’s journal that turns her entire world upside down.... The secret that Kitty keeps is totally going to shock you.” Another debut novel, CHAIN-GANG ALL-STARS by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, is this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Jenna says, “It’s about female gladiators in a future world where there’s a sport unlike any we’ve seen. Prisoners are meant to fight each other in order to get their freedom… It’s about where we find entertainment. How violence has become so much part of who we are as a culture. It’ll make you have conversations about the prison industrial complex. It pushed me, for sure --- but that’s the incredible thing about reading.” We will share our review in next week’s newsletter. May’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick is THE NIGERWIFE, YA author Vanessa Walters’ first foray into adult fiction. Here’s how “GMA” describes the book: “For fans of MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER and THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME, this twisted novel centers around a young woman who vanishes from her glamorous life in Lagos, Nigeria, and her estranged aunt who will stop at nothing to find the truth. Follow Auntie Claudine in THE NIGERWIFE as she starts to dig into her missing niece's ‘perfect life,’ where she uncovers ‘dark secrets, isolation, and even violence,’ according to the book's publisher.” We plan to feature our review in the May 19th newsletter. For more May selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.  This is your last Weekly Update newsletter reminder to sign up for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” book preview event, which will take place THIS Wednesday, May 10th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between May 9th and June 6th, in addition to a few from July, 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.  Please keep in mind that we will be hosting our 12th Annual Book Group Speed Dating event next Friday, May 12th at 1pm ET. Representatives from 10 publishers will be presenting new and upcoming titles that they think will resonate with book groups. If you are a librarian, bookseller or book club leader of three or more groups, and would be interested in attending this event, please email me using the subject line “Speed Dating” and tell me about yourself. This is a trade-only event, so it's not open to the public, but we will share the video and some additional materials with you later this month.  It was announced this week that Publishers Lunch and the American Bookselllers Association will be hosting their next Buzz Books Editors panel on Wednesday, May 17th at 7pm ET. During this free virtual event for booksellers, librarians, media and other tastemakers, five authors will be chatting with their editors about their forthcoming debut novels: Inci Atrek (HOLIDAY COUNTRY), Anna Bliss (BONFIRE NIGHT), Anise Vance (HUSH HARBOR), Kim Coleman Foote (COLEMAN HILL), and Nishita Parekh (THE NIGHT OF THE STORM). Click here to register. I am skipping my monthly book group meeting to enjoy this program! News & Pop Culture Reader Mail: Lisa Hickman, our Contest Coordinator, said, “I finished LOYALTY by Lisa Scottoline. It's FANTASTIC. I even continued to read it while watching the NBA playoffs! I started it yesterday morning and couldn't put it down. I love the way she developed the different families, how the laws and culture of the time affected each one of them, and how intertwined they were at the end! I also appreciated her author's note at the end sharing what was fiction and what was real.” Judy wrote, “What a surprise it was to see that you quoted me in your newsletter after I was one of the contest winners. I just finished reading the book: Nancy Horan’s THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN. History and historical novels are at the top of my reading lists. No matter how much I’ve learned about the Lincolns and their time, there is always something new as readers of this book will find out. Unfortunately, many of the historical incidents and themes described in this book are still with us 214 years after Lincoln's birth and 114 years after the Springfield, Illinois, race riots of 1908 were the impetus for the founding of the NAACP. Horan’s book shares so much information in this wonderful story, which should find its place on 'Best Of' lists in the months to come. Once again, I am thrilled to be a winner and to have read the book early. Thank you so much for this opportunity.” Dianne wrote, “Thank you so much for the book TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY by Linwood Barclay that I won. I am a huge fan of his. I read it right away and enjoyed it. It moves right along and keeps you guessing, with lots of twists and turns. He is the king of suspense, in my opinion. Five stars from me. Marilyn wrote, “I am so happy to be the winner of THE GOLDEN DOVES by Martha Hall Kelly. I have read several of her books and can’t wait to start this one. I’m a big fan of Bookreporter and look forward to all the reviews and stories of your cooking, your knitting and your wonderful family life. Thank you so much.” Darlene wrote, “Just a 'thank you' for the copy of THE GOLDEN DOVES that I received yesterday. My name was among the winners in a contest drawing. I am looking forward to reading all 500 pages. Thanks again, and continue writing and sharing.” “Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss” on Peacock: I heard that there is a series coming based on Eric Weiner's book, THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS. So I reached out to Eric for details. He shared this: “Yes, it's a five part 'docuseries' called 'Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss.' Rainn, as you probably know, played Dwight in 'The Office.' I was a co-executive producer on the project. It premieres on Peacock on May 18th. Here is the trailer. And here is Rainn on 'The Tonight Show' and 'The Drew Barrymore Show' talking about the Peacock series.” I am looking forward to this one! “Saint X” on Hulu: I loved the book by Alexis Schaitkin that this series is based on. The show flips readers from the idyllic beach scene where Allison and her family were vacationing on Saint X before her murder to stories in the past and present. I think if I had not read the book, I would be confused. But since I did, and I made it a Bets On selection, I am tracking the series. It’s not linear at all. The beach scenes are beautiful; they were shot in the Dominican Republic. And Allison's younger sister is clearly haunted by not knowing what really happened when they lost Allison. I am looking forward to seeing how this develops. “The Diplomat” on Netflix: A terrific ending to season one; there WILL be a season two. “A Million Little Things” on ABC: The show wrapped up with the final episode on Wednesday night. Okay, I admit I cried. Here’s a good piece on the finale, including some fun Easter eggs in the final scenes.  My mom would have turned 94 today. We usually would go out to dinner with her and my dad. We would have Italian food, which is what she typically wanted for celebrating holidays. Instead, Tom and I were embracing the idea of celebrating Cinco de Mayo tonight with Mexican food --- bring on the guacamole --- and margaritas. Well, every Mexican restaurant was booked, unless we wanted to eat at 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon. We then called a few takeout places, and they were not even taking orders; one said that by early afternoon they were at capacity for orders. So we went out for pizza. Our ode to Cinco de Mayo was ordering a pizza with jalapeno on it. And we toasted my mom (she would have loved that we went out for something Italian) and her life well lived. We are going to visit my dad tomorrow. At some point soon I will have a margarita and an enchilada. Hold my Olé! 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! Quick Tech Note: Bookreporter is protected from spam bots and other ridiculous things that try to hack websites by something called Imperva. If you go to the site and see a message that asks you to click "I am not a robot," just know that this is the software being extra cautious. Yes, it's mind-numbing to have to do this, and at least it doesn't happen all the time. But we know you are not robots, so if you could click to tell the software this, that would be great.    Featured Review and Interview:   When a woman discovers a rare book that has connections to her past, long-held secrets about her missing sister and their childhood spent in the English countryside during World War II are revealed. That is the premise of Patti Callahan Henry’s latest historical novel, THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA --- which is an Indie Next pick for May, along with being this month's Barnes & Noble Book Club selection and Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites pick. In this interview, Patti talks about her extensive research for the book, what inspired her to center the novel on a bookstore, why she loves writing historical fiction, and the creation of “Friends and Fiction” --- a popular weekly web show, podcast and Facebook group that she founded with Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel and Kristy Woodson Harvey. THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA by Patti Callahan Henry (Historical Fiction) » THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA is May's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. On Tuesday, June 6th at 3pm ET, B&N will host a live virtual event with Patti Callahan Henry. She will be joined in the discussion by Shannon DeVito, the Sr. Director of Book Strategy and Customer Experience at B&N, and Miwa Messer, B&N’s Editorial Director. Click here to sign up. » The book is also this month’s pick for Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites. On Tuesday, May 23rd at 1pm ET, members of the S&S team will talk to Patti about it. Click here to sign up. Featured Review: THE FERRYMAN by Justin Cronin  THE FERRYMAN by Justin Cronin (Dystopian Thriller/Science Fiction) Click here to read our review. Featured Review: THE HALF MOON by Mary Beth Keane  THE HALF MOON by Mary Beth Keane (Fiction) Click here to read our review.  New Release Spotlight:  CLYTEMNESTRA by Costanza Casati (Historical Fiction) But when your husband returns in triumph, you become a woman with a choice. Acceptance or vengeance, infamy follows both. So you bide your time and force the gods' hands in the game of retribution. For you understood something long ago that the others never did. If power isn't given to you, you have to take it for yourself. A blazing novel set in the world of Ancient Greece, this is a thrilling tale of power and prophecies, hatred and love, and an unforgettable Queen who fiercely dealt out death to those who wronged her. Click here to read our review. Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.  Bookreporter.com’s 14th Annual Our Mother's Day Author Blogs are back for a 14th year! Once again, we are excited to be sharing pieces from authors who reminisce about reading books with their moms, or with their own children, and talk about how their moms influenced them to become readers and writers. We kick off this year's series with a lovely contribution from Joshilyn Jackson, whose new psychological thriller, WITH MY LITTLE EYE, is now in stores. Next week, we will hear from Megan Abbott (BEWARE THE WOMAN), Fiona Davis (THE SPECTACULAR), JJ Elliott (THERE ARE NO RULES FOR THIS), Joanne Leedom-Ackerman (BURNING DISTANCE), and Brendan Slocumb (SYMPHONY OF SECRETS). Click here to read Bookreporter.com's 2023 Mother's Day Author Blogs. Bookreporter.com’s 18th Annual  Mother’s Day is a time to recognize the woman who raised and nurtured us. To celebrate, we're giving you the opportunity to win books for yourself or the special lady in your life in our 18th annual "Books Mom Will Love" contest. From now through Friday, May 12th at noon ET, readers can enter to win one of our five prize packages, which includes 12 great titles that we think moms will love. This year's prize books are:
Click here to enter the contest. Bookreporter.com's 19th Annual  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 mid-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 first prize book will be announced on Tuesday, May 9th at noon ET. This year’s featured titles include:
Click here to read all the contest details    May’s New in Paperback Roundups May's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes EVERY CLOAK ROLLED IN BLOOD, James Lee Burke's most autobiographical novel to date and a continuation of his epic Holland family saga, which finds a writer grieving the death of his daughter while battling earthly and supernatural outlaws; FOX CREEK, the 19th installment in William Kent Krueger's masterful mystery series starring Cork O'Connor, who races against time to save his wife, a mysterious stranger and an Ojibwe healer from bloodthirsty mercenaries; THIS TIME TOMORROW, in which Emma Straub --- with her celebrated humor, insight and heart --- offers her own twist on traditional time-travel tropes and a different kind of love story; and IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS by Therese Anne Fowler, a stylish, insightful take on the dysfunctional family dramedy, in which everyone will have to come to terms with the ways their lives have turned out differently than they expected, as well as the secrets they’ve been keeping from each other --- and themselves. Among our nonfiction highlights are JAMES PATTERSON BY JAMES PATTERSON, a memoir that poses the question: How did a kid whose dad lived in the poorhouse become the most successful storyteller in the world?; HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, a collection of personal essays from humorist David Sedaris that features his unique and acerbic take on the pandemic, political unrest and the death of his father; BULLY MARKET by Jamie Fiore Higgins, a rare insider’s account on Wall Street where greed coupled with misogyny and discrimination enforces a culture of exclusion in the upper echelons of Goldman Sachs; and Casey Sherman's HELLTOWN, a landmark true crime narrative that reveals the secrets of notorious serial killer Tony Costa --- the most dangerous man on Cape Cod --- and unspools the threads connecting Costa, Kurt Vonnegut and Norman Mailer in the seaside city that played host to horrors unlike any ever seen before. Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of    May’s Books on Screen Feature Here is a preview of this month's movies, TV shows and DVDs that are based on books. For a complete list of May's offerings, please click here.
The Jane Mysteries: Inheritance Lost Carrot Cake Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery Series Premieres "City on Fire" "Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss" (5-episode limited series) "American Born Chinese" Season Premiere "Fear the Walking Dead" Series Finales "The Last Thing He Told Me" (7-episode limited series) "Saint X" On DVD Knock at the Cabin    More Reviews This WeekIN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS by TJ Klune (Fantasy) THE GIRL BY THE BRIDGE: A Detective Konrad Novel by Arnaldur Indridason (Mystery) THE ROPE ARTIST written by Fuminori Nakamura, translated by Sam Bett (Noir Mystery) SISTERS OF THE LOST NATION by Nick Medina (Mystery & Thriller/Horror) WE ARE TOO MANY: A Memoir [Kind of] by Hannah Pittard (Memoir) THE GIFTS by Liz Hyder (Historical Fantasy/Speculative Fiction) CULTURED: A Jake Longly Thriller by D.P. Lyle (Mystery/Thriller) THE SCANDALOUS LADIES OF LONDON: THE COUNTESS by Sophie Jordan (Historical Romance)   
Next Week's Notables:
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