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When we took a break last week and did not do a website update, we joked that we all were taking deep breaths for the first time since our holiday break in December. We took advantage of the short week to do some brainstorming and leisurely planning.
I also had plenty of downtime during the long weekend to read and found three new Bookreporter.com Bets On selections: LITTLE MONSTERS by Adrienne Brodeur, THE BETTER HALF by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans, and HER, TOO by Bonnie Kistler. We reviewed LITTLE MONSTERS two weeks ago, and I interviewed Adrienne this week. We are reviewing THE BETTER HALF and HER, TOO this week. My Bets On copy for all three will come next week.
I also would love to schedule interviews with Alli, Asha and Bonnie. I am on call for jury duty through Thursday, which makes planning until then a bit difficult. But know that I am looking forward to these conversations!
As noted above, my latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Adrienne Brodeur. Her new novel, LITTLE MONSTERS, is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club selection. Here we talk characters --- and share our favorites --- as well as the story’s structure with multiple points of view. Adrienne has spent summers on the Cape for as long as she can remember. She writes so beautifully about the place that she provides a clear picture of how much she loves it --- and treasures time there.
After writing her memoir, WILD GAME, where her mother was a central character, Adrienne noted that the mother is absent in her novel. We talk about a particular scene that has not come up in any other interview before. And yes, we discuss the title --- and the cover design. Oh, and why does one ask for female lobsters when buying them? It’s a brisk conversation that covers a lot of ground but gives away no spoilers. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
We hosted this month’s “Bookaccino Live” book preview event on Wednesday afternoon. I talked about 28 books releasing between now and August 1st, plus 11 from September, that we wanted to get on your radar. You can watch the presentation here and see a list of the featured titles here.
Next month's “Bookaccino Live” book preview event will take place on Wednesday, August 9th at 2pm ET. I will present titles releasing between August 8th and September 5th, in addition to a few from October, 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.
Defending an accused rapist, a high-powered lawyer learns firsthand the terrible truth about her client --- a discovery that propels her on a quest for justice and revenge --- in Bonnie Kistler’s new thriller, HER, TOO. Bonnie’s first two books, HOUSE ON FIRE and THE CAGE, were Bets On picks, just as this one will be.
Rebecca Munro raves about the book in her review: “Full of riveting, unguessable twists and a ripped-from-the-headlines plot, HER, TOO is Kistler’s best novel yet.... Her characters are raw, authentically human and deeply compelling... [She] does an incredible job of humanizing her protagonist while also laying bare some very real truths about the pervasiveness of sexual assault... Despite the seriousness of the topic...Kistler handles every interaction with sensitivity, care and a clear, unflinching gaze.”
THE BETTER HALF is the third collaboration of Alli Frank and Asha Youmans, following TINY IMPERFECTIONS and NEVER MEANT TO MEET YOU. It’s a sidesplitting spin on reaching the pinnacle of life, only to stare down a slippery slope on the other side.
According to our reviewer Pamela Kramer, “Alli Frank and Asha Youmans give their readers what we have come to expect from them: a novel with relatable characters, humor, romance and honest talk about race…. The book flows quickly and entertainingly. But there's more to THE BETTER HALF than just being a great summer read --- it's also a thoughtful novel about race. Does marrying outside of one's race or ethnicity somehow make one less?... It's a fascinating question that will keep book club readers talking as they share their opinions and experiences.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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FLAGS ON THE BAYOU: James Lee Burke’s new novel is set in Civil War-era Louisiana as the South transforms, and a brilliant cast of characters --- enslaved and free women, plantation gentry, and battle-weary Confederate and Union soldiers --- are caught in the maelstrom.
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HELLO STRANGER: Katherine Center, the New York Times bestselling author of THE BODYGUARD (among many other books), is back with a hopelessly romantic novel about finding love, confronting a haunting past, and figuring out what --- and who --- really matters. Please note that the film adaptation of Center’s 2015 novel, HAPPINESS FOR BEGINNERS, will release July 27th on Netflix.
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THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY: Beatriz Williams’ latest novel is set in the exclusive New England summer enclave that readers first discovered in THE SUMMER WIVES and fills it with new love, old rivalries and the Cold War intrigue of the 1960s.
Summer Reading Update
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away the aforementioned HER, TOO by Bonnie Kistler, along with HOMECOMING by Kate Morton and WINDFALL by Wendy Corsi Staub. Next week’s prize will be THE BLOCK PARTY by Jamie Day, a thriller that has been getting a great deal of buzz leading up to its release. The contest will be up at noon ET on its publication day, Tuesday, July 18th.
This Month’s New in Paperback Feature
HER, TOO and WINDFALL are just two of the books you’ll find in this month’s New in Paperback roundups for July. We’re also featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as Scott Turow (SUSPECT), J. D. Robb (ENCORE IN DEATH), Dean Koontz (THE HOUSE AT THE END OF THE WORLD), Philippa Gregory (DAWNLANDS), Maggie O’Farrell (THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT), and Alice Feeney (DAISY DARKER); nonfiction titles, including FREEDOM by Sebastian Junger and RAISING LAZARUS: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America's Overdose Crisis by Beth Macy; and paperback originals like ONE SUMMER IN SAVANNAH by Terah Shelton Harris (this month’s Target Book Club pick) and THE PARIS AGENT by Kelly Rimmer.
Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Clare Mackintosh
Out in paperback this week is THE LAST PARTY by Clare Mackintosh, a Bets On pick that revolves around the homicide of a local celebrity in small-town Wales --- a man everyone in the village had good cause to murder. I talked to Clare about the book last November when it released in hardcover, so if you missed the interview or would like to revisit it, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
Books on Screen Offerings for July
We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. July’s roundup includes the series finales of "Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan" on Amazon Prime Video and "The Crowded Room" on Apple TV+; the season finales of "The Walking Dead: Dead City" on AMC and "Joe Pickett" on Paramount+; the season premieres of "The Lincoln Lawyer" and "Sweet Magnolias" on Netflix, "Good Omens" on Amazon Prime Video, "Dark Winds" on AMC, and "When Calls the Heart" on Hallmark Channel; the films Oppenheimer in theaters, Happiness for Beginners on Netflix and Rare Objects on AMC+; and the DVD releases of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., Knights of the Zodiac and Love Again.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, July 28th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win CROOK MANIFESTO by Colson Whitehead and EVERYONE HERE IS LYING by Shari Lapena. We will be reviewing both titles over the next couple of weeks.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
For our latest poll, we’ve listed 35 fiction titles releasing this month, and we’re asking you which, if any, you’re planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, July 28th at noon ET.
Our previous poll asked what you do about books when you go on vacation. 76% of you bring hardcovers or paperbacks, 56% download books to an eReader, 29% buy books while on vacation, 25% borrow books from the library, 21% download audiobooks, 3% bring physical audiobooks, and only 2% don’t read any books while on vacation.
Reese Witherspoon has picked YELLOWFACE by R. F. Kuang, a Bets On title, as her book club selection for July. Reese says, “This contemporary psychological thriller follows Juniper Song --- a bestselling author who is not who she’s pretending to be. She didn’t write the book she claims she penned, and she is not Asian American. Clear your schedule because the moment you start reading you won’t be able to put it down. This story circles themes like the dark side of book publishing, social media culture and so much more. When you finish it, you’ll want to talk about it.” I so agree! Click here to read our review and here for my Bets On commentary.
SAVE WHAT’S LEFT by debut novelist Elizabeth Castellano is this month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick. Here’s how “GMA” describes the book: “Kathleen Deane was in search of her dream life when she moved to the Long Island beach town of Whitbey after her marriage of nearly 30 years fell apart. Instead of the picturesque, quaint life from the postcards she imagined, she’s now found herself embroiled in the trials and tribulations that come with living in a beach house --- and the neighbors next to her. As Kathleen becomes more involved with the small-town politics, she realizes her new life may not be the fairy tale she hoped for, but it just might be what she needs.”
For more July selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Ann wrote, “Enjoy your time off. Most deserved!” Thank you for that note!
Jean wrote, “I too find so much I want to read and seldom manage time to read it all. New books, favorite authors, fiction and nonfiction, poetry, art or other venues to increase my exposures or to escape my stressors and take a vacation from expectations. I have so much to read, and I worry that my life span will be insufficient.” Amen, Jean!
Patricia wrote, “I have to agree with you, Carol. LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN is the best book that Lisa See has written. And I have read every one of her books!”
Vanessa wrote, “Thank you for these beautiful virtual interviews and reading list recommendations. A fellow book club member recommended your 'Bookaccino Live' programs and Bookreporter newsletters to me, and I have since shared it with everyone in our book club (I am the moderator; we meet every first Monday of the month unless it falls on a holiday --- then it's either later in the same week or the following Monday). I just want to thank you for all of the energy and effort that you put into providing thoughtful, intelligent and fun discussions with authors and book recommendations (and your personal reviews). I have read many of the books that you have recommended (and many more are on my ever-growing reading list!) and find 'community' with you and your followers.” Vanessa, we really appreciate your sharing the site and newsletter with readers. We love growing organically like this.
The article about review-bombing that I had in the last newsletter somehow did not unlock for reading the way I had planned. So here it is again. I look forward to seeing what you have to say about it.
Gina shared this comment about it: “I am very appreciative of your crafting a literary site that tries to be fair and transparent. Your ability to be so enthusiastic about the latest selection of books published, including many genres --- especially fantasy, science fiction and nonfiction --- is remarkable. Your site is not just a popularity contest or a boring list of chick lit recommendations. Recently you previewed YELLOWFACE. Many readers thought it had the same plot line as THE PLOT. As someone who has read both of them, YELLOWFACE is so much more. It explores the very nature of who gets to write what, the Big Book industry of which books and which authors get promoted, and how social media is a frenzy of destruction, destroying careers even before they can take off.
“I believe you are doing a service by educating readers about books and how they are promoted and who gets published. Any discerning reader would appreciate that. You have established yourself as trustworthy and of independent thoughts. There needs to be more independently funded sites like yours.
“Author interviews are vital, in my opinion, to truly understand what the author was thinking and what influenced their writing. I love that you incorporate so many on the site.
“I dislike online reviews. You need to trust a source. A trusted source and word of mouth from trusted readers is paramount for book recommendations. A book is not always a good fit for you at a particular time in your life. It doesn’t mean the book is bad. A trusted source knows this.” Thanks for your kind words, Gina. On behalf of the entire team, we appreciate it.
Colleen Hoover’s books are flying off the shelves. Time magazine has a great piece about her recent appearance at the Book Bonanza convention in Texas. You can read it here.
I watched a lot of streaming media over the break. Here are two that I recommend. I will see if I can recall more. I need to keep better lists of what I watch!
“Hijack” on Apple TV+: This is really terrific thus far. If you like T. J. Newman’s airplane novels, watch this one.
“The Lincoln Lawyer” on Netflix: We started this; my husband likes it as well. His idea of binging is one episode a night and not every night. There are other pieces that I want to watch with him.
On Thursday night, a man was arrested in connection to a string of homicides on Long Island's Gilgo Beach, where 10 victims were found in 2010 and 2011. The murders of five of these women were the subject of Robert Kolker's 2013 book, LOST GIRLS, which was turned into a Netflix film three years ago. I am a big fan of Kolker's writing, as well as the movie, which humanized the victims. I hope that he is tapped to write a bigger piece or a follow-up book about these tragedies. He clearly is the person to do it.
I am hosting some of my cousins on my dad’s side for a reunion this weekend. When we were at my mom’s funeral last summer, I realized that I wanted to see people outside of wakes and funerals. And I wanted my dad to have the opportunity to see them to do some reminiscing and catching up. I have a fun menu planned, which I have been playing with all week. Tom and I went grocery shopping last night, and we did some of what we call “spont” changes to the menu on the fly as we came across some rhubarb and amazing strawberries. I really am looking forward to this. May the weather hold!
We have done a lot of landscaping in the past couple of weeks. I found some stunning perennial plants, and my husband did a great job of planting them. I am mapping each of the flower beds so I know how to care for them going forward. I changed where I have a section for cutting flowers. I planted them late, so we shall see how this goes. If they are in full bloom before October, I will be lucky.
Tennis also is on the agenda for the weekend. You may remember that I developed an appreciation/understanding for the sport last year after I read CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This endlessly amused our in-house tennis expert, Tom Donadio. We had something new to talk about.
We both had the Wimbledon matches on these past few days while we were working, and I am ready to rise early tomorrow to watch the women's final and on Sunday for the men's final. Unlike the U.S. Open, where each of my picks lost to the point that players should have paid me not to root for them, I am doing better this time. Tom and I both have picks for Saturday and Sunday. Play on! Game, set, match!
I am reading STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND by Liz Nugent, which is so good. Liz is another author who I want to interview. I will be back in my turquoise “Cleopatra” tent reading on Sunday! For now, back to the kitchen. I realized that we forgot to buy a red onion, thwarting some of my prep plans. Maybe I should see this as a sign to just kick it back a notch and unwind.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site for shopping, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound. As you read our reviews and features, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
Featured Review: FLAGS ON THE BAYOU
by James Lee Burke
FLAGS ON THE BAYOU by James Lee Burke (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by MacLeod Andrews, Michael Crouch, Dana Gourrier, Marin Ireland, January LaVoy and Ray Porter
In the fall of 1863, the Union army is in control of the Mississippi River. Much of Louisiana, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, is occupied. The Confederate army is retreating toward Texas and being replaced by Red Legs, irregulars commanded by a maniacal figure, and enslaved men and women are beginning to glimpse freedom. When Hannah Laveau, an enslaved woman working on the Lufkin plantation, is accused of murder, she goes on the run with Florence Milton, an abolitionist schoolteacher, dodging the local constable and the slavecatchers that prowl the bayous. Wade Lufkin, haunted by what he observed --- and did --- as a surgeon on the battlefield, has returned to his uncle’s plantation to convalesce, where he becomes enraptured by Hannah. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: HELLO STRANGER by Katherine Center
HELLO STRANGER by Katherine Center (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Patti Murin
One minute Sadie Montgomery is celebrating the biggest achievement of her life --- placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition --- the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. But as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls in love --- or is it lust, or a temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life? --- with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. 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: THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY
by Beatriz Williams
THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY by Beatriz Williams (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
Beatriz Williams’ novels inhabit a category all their own: nuanced yet propulsive, innovative yet addictive, packed with human truth and told in an incomparable narrative voice that evokes a stunning sense of period while still feeling new and immediate. Now the beloved author returns with another remarkable summer novel. In these gorgeous sun-washed pages, Williams sets THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY in the exclusive New England summer enclave readers first discovered in THE SUMMER WIVES and fills it with new love, old rivalries and the Cold War intrigue of the 1960s. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: HER, TOO by Bonnie Kistler
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
HER, TOO by Bonnie Kistler (Psychological/Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Dalian and Elisabeth Rodgers
Kelly McCann is a high-powered lawyer whose specialty is defending men accused of sex crimes. Her detractors call her a traitor to her gender, but she doesn't care. As the story opens, she has secured an acquittal for a renowned scientist accused of sexually assaulting his female employees. But the thrill of her victory is short-lived. That very night, she, too, falls victim to a brutal sexual assault. And almost as horrific as the attack is the fact that she can't tell anyone it happened --- not without destroying her career in the process. Joining forces with her rapist's other victims, the shrewd lawyer plans to turn the tables on him. It’s not only about justice --- these wronged women are out for revenge. But someone, it seems, is out for them. And one by one, they find themselves facing even greater danger. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit Bonnie Kistler's website.
Click here to read our review.
HER, TOO will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: THE BETTER HALF
by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE BETTER HALF by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans (Romantic Comedy)
With an ex-husband relocated across the country, her father bouncing back after the loss of his beloved wife, and her daughter, Xandra, thriving at boarding school, Nina Morgan Clarke is stepping into her dream job as a trifecta: a first-generation, Black female head of the storied Royal-Hawkins School. To mark the moment, Nina and her best friend, Marisol, take a long-overdue girls’ trip to celebrate the second half of Nina’s life --- which is shaping up to be the best part of her life. As Nina’s school year gets underway, all seems to be progressing as planned. Before long, wunder-hire Jared Jones relentlessly pushes Nina to her ethical limits. Soon after, dutiful Xandra accuses one of her teachers of misconduct. And most alarming, the repercussions of her trip with Marisol force Nina into a life-altering choice. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
THE BETTER HALF will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Bookreporter.com's 19th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer is here! 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 throughout the summer, 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, July 18th at noon ET.
This year’s featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
July’s New in Paperback Roundups
July's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes SUSPECT by Scott Turow, a riveting legal thriller in which a reckless private detective is embroiled in a fraught police scandal; Dean Koontz's THE HOUSE AT THE END OF THE WORLD, a novel about fears known and unknown as an omnipresent terror could bring about the end of the world; THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT by Maggie O'Farrell, an unforgettable portrait of the captivating young duchess Lucrezia de' Medici as she makes her way in a troubled court in Renaissance Italy; and Alice Feeney's DAISY DARKER, a delightfully twisty and atmospheric locked-room mystery in which a family reunion leads to murder.
Among our nonfiction highlights are FREEDOM, an intricately crafted and thought-provoking book from Sebastian Junger, who examines the tension that lies at the heart of what it means to be human; RAISING LAZARUS, Beth Macy's account of everyday heroes fighting on the front lines of the overdose crisis, which is by turns harrowing and heartening, infuriating and inspiring; and THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF AN ORDINARY MAN, the raw, candid, unvarnished memoir of iconic actor Paul Newman, who covers his traumatic childhood; his career; his drinking; his greatest roles; acting; his intimate life with Joanne Woodward; and his innermost fears, passions and joys.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
July 3rd, July 10th, July 17th and July 24th.
July’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 July's offerings, please click here.
Film Releases
Oppenheimer
Release Date: July 21st (wide release in theaters)
Based on: AMERICAN PROMETHEUS: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin
Happiness for Beginners
Release Date: July 27th on Netflix
Based on: HAPPINESS FOR BEGINNERS by Katherine Center
Season Premieres
"The Lincoln Lawyer"
Release Date: Season Two, Volume One is now available on Netflix
Based on: The Lincoln Lawyer series by Michael Connelly
"The Summer I Turned Pretty"
Release Dates: Fridays on Amazon Prime Video; the first three episodes of Season Two are now available
Based on: THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY by Jenny Han
"Sweet Magnolias"
Release Date: July 20th on Netflix (Season Three)
Based on: The Sweet Magnolias series by Sherryl Woods
"When Calls the Heart"
Air Dates: Sundays at 9pm ET/PT on Hallmark Channel; Season 10 Premiere on July 30th
Based on: The When Calls the Heart series by Janette Oke
Series Finale
"Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan"
Release Date: The final two episodes are now available on Amazon Prime Video
Based on: Characters from the fictional "Ryanverse" created by Tom Clancy
Season Finales
"The Walking Dead: Dead City"
Air Dates: Sundays at 10pm ET/PT on AMC; Season One Finale on July 23rd
Based on: The comic book series The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard
"Joe Pickett"
Release Dates: Sundays on Paramount+; Season Two Finale on July 30th
Based on: The Joe Pickett series by C. J. Box
On DVD
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
DVD Release Date: Now available
Based on: ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. by Judy Blume
AN EVIL HEART by Linda Castillo (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen McInerney
On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow, his body abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was just 20 years old, well liked and from an upstanding Amish family. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning? The more Kate gets to know his devastated family and the people --- both English and Amish --- who loved him, the more determined she becomes to solve the case. But as she delves into Karn’s past, Kate begins to hear whispers about a dark side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Is it possible that the rumors are a cruel campaign to blame the victim? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
62: Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees, and the Pursuit of Greatness by Bryan Hoch (Sports)
Audiobook available, read by Cary Hite
Aaron Judge, the hulking superman who carried an easy aw-shucks demeanor from small-town California to stardom in the Big Apple, had long established his place as one of baseball’s most intimidating power hitters. Baseballs frequently rocketed off his bat like cannon fire, dispatching heat-seeking missiles toward the “Judge’s Chambers” seating area in right field, sending delirious fans scattering for souvenirs. But even in a high-tech universe where computers measure each swing to the nth degree, Roger Maris’ American League mark of 61 home runs seemed largely out of reach. In 62, veteran Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch unravels the remarkable journey of Judge’s run to shatter Maris’ beloved 61-year-old record. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE LIBRARIANIST by Patrick deWitt (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jim Meskimen
Bob Comet is a retired librarian passing his solitary days surrounded by books and small comforts. One morning, he encounters a confused elderly woman lost in a market and returns her to the senior center that is her home. Hoping to fill the void he’s known since retiring, he begins volunteering at the center. Here, as a community of strange peers gathers around Bob, and following a happenstance brush with a painful complication from his past, the events of his life and the details of his character are revealed. Behind Bob’s straight-man façade is the story of an unhappy child’s runaway adventure during the last days of the Second World War, of true love won and stolen away, of the purpose and pride found in the librarian’s vocation, and of the pleasures of a life lived to the side of the masses. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
SLEEPLESS CITY: A Nick Ryan Novel by Reed Farrel Coleman (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Peter Giles
Every cop in the city knows his name, but no one says it out loud. In fact, they don't talk about him at all. He doesn't wear a uniform, but he is the most powerful cop in New York. Nick Ryan can find a criminal who's vanished. Or he can make a key witness disappear. He has cars, safe houses, money and weapons hidden all over the city. He's the mayor's private cop, the fixer, the first call when the men and women who protect and serve are in trouble and need protection themselves. With conflicted loyalties and a divided soul, he's a veteran cop still fighting his own private war. He's a soldier of the streets with his own personal code. But what happens when the man who knows all the city's secrets becomes a threat to both sides of the law? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read our interview with Reed Farrel Coleman.
THE BEAST YOU ARE: Stories by Paul Tremblay (Supernatural Thriller & Horror/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Johnny Heller, Xe Sands, Ewan Chung, Graham Halstead, Helen Laser, Jorjeana Marie, Joy Osmanski, Keith Sellon-Wright, Kirsten Potter and Neil Shah
The 15 pieces in THE BEAST YOU ARE are all monsters of a kind, ready to loudly (and lovingly) smash through your head and into your heart. In “The Dead Thing,” a middle-schooler struggles to deal with the aftermath of her parents’ substance addictions and split. One day, her little brother claims he found a shoebox with “the dead thing” inside, but he won’t show it to her. In “The Last Conversation,” a person wakes in a sterile, white room and begins to receive instructions via intercom from a woman named Anne. When they are finally allowed to leave the room to complete a task, what they find is as shocking as it is heartbreaking. The title novella is a mini epic in which the destinies and secrets of a village, a dog and a cat are intertwined with a giant monster that returns to wreak havoc every 30 years. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
EVIDENCE OF THINGS SEEN: True Crime in an Era of Reckoning edited by Sarah Weinman (Social Science/Criminology)
Audiobook available, read by Xe Sands
True crime, as an entertainment genre, has always prioritized clear narrative arcs: victims wronged, police detectives in pursuit, suspects apprehended, justice delivered. But what stories have been ignored? In EVIDENCE OF THINGS SEEN, 14 of the most innovative crime writers working today cast a light on the cases that give crucial insight into our society. Wesley Lowery writes about a lynching left unsolved for decades by an indifferent police force and a family’s quest for answers. Justine van der Leun reports on the thousands of women in prison for defending themselves from abuse. May Jeong reveals how the Atlanta spa shootings tell a story of America. This anthology pulls back the curtain on how crime itself is a by-product of America’s systemic harms and inequalities. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
GOODBYE EARL: A Revenge Novel by Leesa Cross-Smith (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Mela Lee, Kamali Minter, Sarah Beth Goer, Erin Bennett, Traci Odom and Julian Thomas
In 2004, Rosemarie, Ada, Caroline and Kasey are in their final days of high school and on the precipice of all the things teenagers look forward to when anything in life seems possible. In 2019, Kasey has returned to her small Southern hometown of Goldie for the first time since high school --- and she still hasn’t told even her closest friends the truth of what really happened that summer after graduation, or what made her leave so abruptly. Now reunited with her friends in Goldie for a wedding, she’s determined to focus on the simple joy of being together again. But when she notices troubling signs that one of them might be in danger, she is catapulted back to that fateful summer. This time, Kasey refuses to let the worst moments of her past define her. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
GIRLFRIEND ON MARS by Deborah Willis (Fiction/Satire)
Audiobook available, read by Landon Doak and Vanessa Matsui
Amber Kivinen is moving to Mars. Or at least she will be if she wins a chance to join “MarsNow.” She and 23 reality TV contestants from around the world are competing for two seats on the first human-led mission to Mars, sponsored by billionaire Geoff Task. Meanwhile, Amber’s boyfriend, Kevin, was content going nowhere until Amber left him --- and their hydroponic weed business --- behind. As he tends to (and smokes) the plants growing in their basement apartment, Kevin tunes in to find out why the love of his life is so determined to leave the planet with somebody else. On screen, Amber competes in globe-trotting, “Survivor”-meets-“Star Trek” challenges and seems like she might be falling for fellow contestant Adam. But is that real, or is it just a tactic to keep from being voted off? Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
SUNSHINE NAILS by Mai Nguyen (Fiction/Humor)
Audiobook available; read by Carolina Do, David Lee Huynh, Quyen Ngo, Vyvy Nguyen and Trieu Tran
Vietnamese refugees Debbie and Phil Tran have built a comfortable life for themselves in Toronto with their family nail salon. But when an ultra-glam chain salon opens across the street, their world is rocked. Complicating matters further, their landlord has jacked up the rent, and it seems only a matter of time before they lose their business and everything they’ve built. They enlist the help of their daughter, Jessica, who has just returned home after a messy breakup and a messier firing. Together with their son, Dustin, and niece, Thuy, they devise some good old-fashioned sabotage. Relationships are put to the test as the line between right and wrong gets blurred. Debbie and Phil must choose: Do they keep their family intact or fight for their salon? Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
THE LAST DANCE: The First Detective Miller Novel by Mark Billingham (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David Threlfall
Maverick sleuth Declan Miller is back at work following the murder of his wife (and amateur ballroom dancing partner), Alex. Working with new partner and heavy metal enthusiast DS Sara Xiu, he is tasked with investigating the double killing of gangland family scion Adrian Cutler and IT consultant Barry Shepherd at the Sands Hotel. Initial evidence suggests a hired gun and a botched job. The search for the hitman begins, and Miller starts reconnecting with his old network --- his ballroom dancing friends, homeless informant Finn, and even the ghost of his wife who keeps showing up in his kitchen. The fact that Alex had been investigating the Cutler family prior to her death complicates things, and as Miller gets closer to the truth, he realizes the danger is walking right up to his doorstep. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
WATCH US SHINE by Marisa de los Santos (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Erin Bennett and Nan McNamara
Cornelia Brown is reeling from a terrifying act of violence when she gets word that her mother, Ellie, has been badly injured in an accident. She returns to Virginia, to the house she grew up in, and in the weeks that follow, she watches her mother struggle to recover. In grief-stricken tones, Ellie begs Cornelia to bring her the Northern Lights, and despite her confusion at this mysterious plea, Cornelia vows to do so. With the help of her prickly sister, Ollie, Cornelia embarks on a mission to piece together the lost years of their mother’s life. Their quest takes them to unexpected places and into the worlds of strangers whose lives Ellie touched and irrevocably changed. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
AUGUST BLUE by Deborah Levy (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Alix Dunmore
At the height of her career, the piano virtuoso Elsa M. Anderson --- former child prodigy who is now in her 30s --- walks off the stage in Vienna, mid-performance. Now she is in Athens, watching an uncannily familiar woman purchase a pair of mechanical dancing horses at a flea market. Elsa wants the horses too, but there are no more for sale. She drifts to the ferry port, on the run from her talent and her history. So begins her journey across Europe, shadowed by the elusive woman who seems to be her double. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
CRAZY BAO YOU by Lyn Liao (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Gabriel Spires and Jennifer Aquino
Kimmie Park has finally met a man who gets her and laughs at her jokes. Matt West is kind, compassionate and a smoking hot FDNY firefighter. But they’ve never met in person. He doesn’t know that her life recently imploded when she very publicly quit her retail job and became a meme in a viral video, known as the woman who twerked as she tells off her boss. Kimmie now focuses on her Etsy shop designing purses and accessories. She’d posted pictures of her best friend Alicia with her merchandise, not realizing that people would assume Alicia was Kim from My Crafty Bao. As the chemistry between her and Matt sizzles, she knows that she needs to tell him the truth. Especially since Matt’s father, the CEO of a huge retail store, sees Kimmie’s shop and wants to partner with her. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on July 18th
Below are some notable titles releasing on July 18th 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 July 17th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
AFTER DEATH by Dean Koontz (Thriller)
A modern-day Lazarus is humanity’s last hope in a breathtaking novel about the absolute powers of good and evil by Dean Koontz, the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense.
THE BLOCK PARTY by Jamie Day (Domestic Thriller)
The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal utterly unknown to the outside world, and even to each other. On the night of the annual summer block party, there has been a murder. But who did it and why takes readers back one year earlier, as rivalries and betrayals unfold.
THE COLLECTOR by Daniel Silva (Thriller/Adventure)
Legendary art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon joins forces with a brilliant and beautiful master-thief to track down the world’s most valuable missing painting. But soon he finds himself in a desperate race to prevent an unthinkable conflict between Russia and the West.
CROOK MANIFESTO by Colson Whitehead (Historical Fiction)
The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author of HARLEM SHUFFLE continues his Harlem saga in a powerful and hugely entertaining novel that summons 1970s New York in all its seedy glory.
CUTTING TEETH by Chandler Baker (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
New York Times bestselling author Chandler Baker's CUTTING TEETH is a witty, thrilling story of parental love that asks: Is there anything a mother won’t do for her children?
JACKIE: Public, Private, Secret by J. Randy Taraborrelli (Biography)
From the New York Times bestselling author of JACKIE, JANET & LEE comes a fresh and often startling look at the life of legendary former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
QUEEN WALLIS by C. J. Carey (Alternate History/Dystopian Thriller)
This thrilling sequel to WIDOWLAND is a feminist dystopian novel set in an alternative history that terrifyingly imagines what a British alliance with Germany would look like if the Nazis had won WWII.
SILVER NITRATE by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
From the New York Times bestselling author of THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU and MEXICAN GOTHIC comes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film --- and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.
STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND by Liz Nugent (Psychological Thriller)
The internationally bestselling author of the “dark, captivating psychological thriller” (People) LYING IN WAIT returns with a wickedly dark, twisted and brilliantly observed new novel about an enigmatic woman confronting her unknown past.
A TWISTED LOVE STORY by Samantha Downing (Psychological Thriller)
From the bestselling author of MY LOVELY WIFE comes a reckless, delicious thriller that gives a whole new meaning to the dangers of modern dating.
ZERO-SUM: Stories by Joyce Carol Oates (Fiction/Short Stories)
Zero-sum games are played for lethal stakes in these arresting stories by one of America’s most acclaimed writers, the award-winning, bestselling author of BLONDE.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Samantha Downing, Daniel Silva, Bryn Turnbull
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are five upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Monday, July 17th at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Samantha Downing will talk to Mystery & Thriller Maven’s Sara DiVello about her new novel, A TWISTED LOVE STORY, a reckless, delicious thriller that gives a whole new meaning to the dangers of modern dating.
Wednesday, July 19th 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 Steven Rowley about THE CELEBRANTS and Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke about FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE.
Wednesday, July 19th at 7pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Bryn Turnbull as she discusses her new book, THE PARIS DECEPTION, with Rachel McMillan. This breathtaking novel is about art theft and forgery in Nazi-occupied Paris, and two brave women who risk their lives rescuing looted masterpieces from Nazi destruction.
Thursday, July 20th at 7pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Samantha Downing and Robyn Harding will talk about their latest summer thrillers: Samantha's A TWISTED LOVE STORY and Robyn's THE DROWNING WOMAN.
Friday, July 21st at 8pm ET: Virtual Independent Bookseller Event: Books & Books is thrilled to be partnering with Miami Book Fair, Midtown Reader, Book Passage, Odyssey Bookshop, Lemuria Books, Murder By The Book and University Book Store to welcome Daniel Silva for his latest thriller, THE COLLECTOR. He will be in conversation with fellow bestselling author Lisa Scottoline.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here is our latest interview:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: July Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in July are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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AFTER DEATH by Dean Koontz
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AFTER THE FUNERAL AND OTHER STORIES by Tessa Hadley
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ALL THE DEMONS ARE HERE by Jake Tapper
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ALL-NIGHT PHARMACY by Ruth Madievsky
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THE BETTER HALF by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans
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THE BLOCK PARTY by Jamie Day
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THE COLLECTOR by Daniel Silva
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CROOK MANIFESTO by Colson Whitehead
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CUTTING TEETH by Chandler Baker
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DEAD FALL by Brad Thor
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EVERYONE HERE IS LYING by Shari Lapena
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AN EVIL HEART by Linda Castillo
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FLAGS ON THE BAYOU by James Lee Burke
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FLOP DEAD GORGEOUS: An Andy Carpenter Mystery, by David Rosenfelt
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GOODBYE EARL: A Revenge Novel, by Leesa Cross-Smith
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HALF-LIFE OF A STOLEN SISTER: A Novel of the Brontës, by Rachel Cantor
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HELLO STRANGER by Katherine Center
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HER, TOO by Bonnie Kistler
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AN HONEST MAN by Michael Koryta
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THE LAST DANCE: The First Detective Miller Novel, by Mark Billingham
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MUST LOVE FLOWERS by Debbie Macomber
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OBSESSED: A Michael Bennett Psychological Thriller, by James Patterson and James O. Born
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ONE SUMMER IN SAVANNAH by Terah Shelton Harris
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PROM MOM by Laura Lippman
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QUEEN OF EXILES by Vanessa Riley
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QUEEN WALLIS by C. J. Carey
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RIPE by Sarah Rose Etter
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SILVER NITRATE by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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SLEEPLESS CITY: A Nick Ryan Novel, by Reed Farrel Coleman
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SOMEBODY'S FOOL by Richard Russo
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STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND by Liz Nugent
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THE SUMMER OF SONGBIRDS by Kristy Woodson Harvey
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SUNSHINE NAILS by Mai Nguyen
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WINDFALL by Wendy Corsi Staub
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ZERO-SUM: Stories, by Joyce Carol Oates
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, July 28th 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 read with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from July 14th to July 28th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of CROOK MANIFESTO by Colson Whitehead and EVERYONE HERE IS LYING by Shari Lapena.
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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