March 8, 2024
 March 8, 2024Never Miss a Contest or a Promotion!     One Less Hour Here comes my least favorite weekend of the year --- the one with one less hour! The past two weeks, I have been waking up before my alarm goes off and hitting my exercise bike early, but I think that is destined to end quickly as soon as the clocks change. I read my morning emails --- and answer some --- while I ride. Multitasking to start the day!  For those of you who enjoy Fiona Davis’ work, I recommend THE GIMLET SLIP, an audio original novella set during Prohibition era-New York City. Fiona wrote this piece with her life partner, Greg Wands, who is a mystery writer. The pairing of their talents feels seamless as the action ramps up, and the historical references make you feel like you are there. In it, Jo Hayes is a young woman who wants the unusual job (for its time) of being an auto mechanic. However, she has an accident while carrying a load of booze that puts her on the run with a target on her back. This leads her to team up with Lydia Gardiner, who lives in the Plaza Hotel, where she runs a business dealing illegal vices --- liquor, drugs and women. I am loving the audiobook's three narrators: Carolina Hoyos, Patty Mattson and Marco Pelaez. I have listened to about half of it (blame a really busy week for the fact that I have not finished all 2 hours and 50 minutes). I look forward to more listening time over the weekend as I am enjoying the story.  First row: Carol Fitzgerald, Tom Donadio, Michelle Morrill, Katy Domaille Kristin Hannah was our guest for a very special “Bookreporter Talks To” program on Wednesday evening. She was in conversation with Bookreporter readers and me about her #1 bestseller, THE WOMEN, which is a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. A lot of ground was covered, including Kristin’s inspiration for writing the book, why she felt that now was the right time to tell this story, and how she researched the time period. There was much discussion about the divisiveness of our times now compared to the ’60s. How the Vietnam vets were treated when they returned home was another big focus. And the last question spurred the audience to think about what we can do to recognize and support veterans, especially female ones. This was a no-spoilers event, so if you have not read THE WOMEN, you still can enjoy this interview. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast. Readers from 31 states, Canada and the Caribbean joined us. Pictured above with me (in our “Brady Bunch”-style Zoom pose) are Kristin; our Editorial Director, Tom Donadio; and seven readers who asked Kristin questions during the event.   Also, the Reeds Book Club in Stone Harbor, NJ watched our event as part of their evening book group discussion where 62 people were in the audience. You can see a picture from their meeting above, along with a signature Mai Tai cocktail that was served. Many thanks to Diane Wade, the Guest Services Manager at The Reeds, for facilitating this event, and to Jen Gensemer, a longtime friend of Bookreporter, for sharing these photos. Our author events are perfect for you to enjoy with your book group, so consider sharing the video or the podcast with your fellow group members.  This is your last Weekly Update newsletter reminder to sign up for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” book preview afternoon event, which will take place on Wednesday, March 13th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between March 12th and April 2nd, in addition to a few from May, that we would like to tell you about. Click here to register. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.  The following week, on Wednesday, March 20th at 8pm ET, will be a special “Bookaccino Live” Spring Preview evening program. I will be talking about a number of books releasing this spring that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months. You can sign up for this event by clicking here.  Tana French’s highly anticipated new novel, THE HUNTER, is now in stores. Set in the Irish countryside, it explores what we’ll do for our loved ones, what we’ll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide. Our reviewer Ray Palen calls the book “sheer brilliance from start to finish by one of the world’s finest writers. It’s the literary equivalent of someone like Hemingway or Steinbeck penning a story about the human condition, set in Ireland. There is nothing that Tana French can’t do, and anyone discovering her for the first time will have such fun working their way through her stellar backlist.”  A couple inherits an apartment with a spine-tingling past in Lisa Unger’s latest psychological thriller, THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B. With echoes of ROSEMARY'S BABY and Rear Window, the book is a chilling warning that even the place you think of as home may be built on dark secrets and lies. According to Ray Palen, “THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B has so many plot lines and red herrings for readers to deal with that Lisa Unger is allowed to get away with her typical intricate plotting to toy with her audience right up to the eye-opening finale. The book definitely has a ROSEMARY’S BABY vibe to it, and I appreciated her homage to its late great author, Ira Levin. But clearly this is a Lisa Unger story, and she has worked her magic once again with this outstanding novel.” Word of Mouth Reminder Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
 You have until Friday, March 15th at noon ET to enter our contest for THE FAMILIAR and be one of our 25 winners who will receive a copy of the book. Releasing on April 9th, Leigh Bardugo’s spellbinding new novel is set in the Spanish Golden Age. Outlander author Diana Gabaldon calls the book “riveting…. Leigh Bardugo's characters are so three-dimensional you want to reach through the page.” And Katherine Arden, author of THE WARM HANDS OF GHOSTS, says that it’s “[a] wonderful, transporting ride through a moment in history, where you can see the height of Spanish power but also sense the rot underneath. I really enjoyed it, it definitely made me think, and, of course, it's deeply romantic.” Next month, we look forward to bringing you our review of THE FAMILIAR and an interview with Leigh (I’m in the process of nailing down a date for the latter). Spring Preview Update I’m Betting You’ll Love… This Month’s New in Paperback Feature Books on Screen Offerings for March Remember to Vote in Our Poll   To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club, Jenna Bush Hager has chosen two books for her March selections: THE GREAT DIVIDE by Cristina Henríquez (which we will review next week) and THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET by Sandra Cisneros. Here are Jenna’s comments on both titles: THE GREAT DIVIDE: “One thing you may not know about me is that I lived in Panama, in 2005, 2006. So when I read this book, I was filled with memories of my time there. You will love these characters --- it is epic and lovely. There are so many different storylines that all come together at the end, which is one of my favorite ways to read and fall in love with a story.” THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET: “I have loved THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET since I first read it in high school because I feel like Sandra Cisneros writes in such a poetic, gorgeous way, and the character of Esperanza has stayed with me all of those years. But it is particularly meaningful to me because I read it when I was young, and then I taught it to my middle schoolers when I was a teacher in Baltimore.” For more March selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.  On Monday night, the Audio Publishers Association (APA) announced the Audie Award winners at the 29th Audie Awards Gala, which was hosted by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and actor Nia Vardalos. Bono’s SURRENDER was named the 2024 Audiobook of the Year, Billie Fulford-Brown won Best Fiction Narrator for THE LAST LIFEBOAT by Hazel Gaynor, and Dion Graham was awarded Best Nonfiction Narrator for KING: A Life by Jonathan Eig. Other winners included THE LIGHT WE CARRY written and read by Michelle Obama (Business/Personal Development); Ann Patchett’s TOM LAKE, read by Meryl Streep (Fiction); Jesse Q. Sutanto’s VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS, read by Eunice Wong (Mystery); and S. A. Cosby’s ALL THE SINNERS BLEED, read by Adam Lazarre-White (Thriller/Suspense). Click here to see all the winners and here to watch the ceremony. News & Pop Culture Reader Mail: We got some lovely notes about Wednesday evening's event with Kristin Hannah: Joan from Calgary, Canada, wrote, “I watched yesterday and enjoyed the discussion so much. I preordered THE WOMEN and will dive in with lots of excitement and anticipation during a vacation next week. So your lively and informative no-spoilers discussion yesterday was ideal. Carol, you and your incredible team are a joy for readers. Thank you for all you do to encourage reading, suggestions, interviews and recommendations.” Villa wrote, “Thank you for making this excellent program available. I hope there will be others in the future.” Note that there will be! Lily wrote, “Thanks so much for asking my questions, the fascinating book and the awesome interview! I appreciate all of your efforts in keeping our world of literature engaging, current and relevant!” Jane wrote earlier in the week, and her thoughts are so poignant that I wanted to share them: “I wanted to let you know the impact that THE WOMEN had on me. Every time I picked up the book, I cried. I was a young 20-year-old newlywed married to an Air Force Lieutenant during this time period. We were stationed at a training base in Mississippi. I saw men go off to Vietnam and watched their wives struggle to get on with their lives while they were gone. “I specifically remember the wife of a master sergeant who had three children and was expecting their fourth. Her husband received his orders, and she was devastated. As it turned out, the war began to wind down, and his orders were rescinded, to her great relief. It was a terrible time for all of us. We had South Vietnamese pilots at the base who were training on fighter jets. My husband would say that the Vietnamese would lose the war because their hearts were not in it, as evidenced in their attitude to the training. “I have recommended this book to everyone. It will stay with me for a very long time. I wonder if it affected women of my age (74) more than younger women who did not live through the war.” Barbara wrote about her feelings when it comes to Bookreporter and our assorted offerings: “I have SO many positive comments that I hardly know where to begin. First of all, whoever manages your website is incredible. It's the most user-friendly site that I have ever had the pleasure to experience. It is wonderfully easy to click on links to every interview, comment section, explanation, etc. that you talk about. Secondly, your relatively new book group guides are amazing! You are SO supportive of readers, both individually and in community. “Lastly, your interviews are fantastic! I just listened to your 'Bookaccino Live' event with Shelby Van Pelt, and it was excellent. As with everyone in attendance, I just loved her book, and you asked her such great questions that really brought out the nuances of her work. What a lovely event. “I am so grateful to be a part of your fan club. I recommend your work to every one of my fellow readers and send replays of your interviews to many others. Keep up the superb work, and please give your team a super high five from me.” Thank you for those kind words. They mean a lot to the team! Deedee wrote, “I totally agree with you about the show 'The New Look'. I almost didn’t tune in until I read what it was about. I LOVE it. But I love Paris. I also am loving 'Shōgun' and 'Feud: Capote vs. The Swans' since I read THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE several years ago. I love your newsletter and try to see all of your author interviews. I am reading THE STORM WE MADE now (another uninteresting title). I would not have read it except for your preview of it.” Lisa Scottoline’s Home Library: Here's a great piece from the Washington Post about Lisa Scottoline’s home library. Tommy Orange on “CBS Saturday Morning:” Here's a terrific segment about Tommy Orange's two books: THERE THERE and the newly released WANDERING STARS. “A Gentleman in Moscow” on Paramount+ with Showtime: Here’s the trailer for the limited series based on Amor Towles' 2016 novel of the same name, which premieres on March 29th. “True Detective: Night Country” on Max: Tom and I finished watching this series the other night. There were many times when I asked him what was going on. He would answer, “I have no idea.” I was glad it was not just me. That said, I am not sorry we watched it. But while it had some really amazing moments, I cannot heartily recommend it, if you know what I mean. I learned something interesting this week. You know how they talk about Showtime being paired with Paramount+? Well, I learned that it does not exactly roll that way through Optimum, our cable company. We had Showtime with our cable, but the Paramount+ offerings are slim. I assumed that we were getting both until I went to watch “Tracker” on Paramount+ to avoid the commercials on CBS. After a long typing session with support at Optimum (it would have been sooooo much faster by phone), it seems that you only get both offerings through the Paramount+ channel. I think I need a spreadsheet with the paid channels we have. My husband has given up. He just hands me the remote for anything not on regular cable. We are real homebodies, so I do not quibble on the cost of the entertainment, but there is a lot to keep track of in terms of what is airing where. We are going to a Rutgers basketball game on Sunday; they are playing Ohio State. I loved going to basketball games when I went to Fordham (we played a few times a year at Madison Square Garden). A few weeks ago, I got the idea that we should go see the Scarlet Knights, so we made plans with some friends. Since I will not be headed to the NCAA Final Four, this will be a fun way to enjoy a live game. I may even wear the red sweater that I wore for the event with Kristin. I also can knit at the basketball game, which is a great idea since the scarf that I thought I was close to finishing went through some of my signature “reverse knitting” last week. I mean, not everyone can cast on 62 stitches instead of 84! Yes, I got to the part about 30 inches in where I was to split the project into two 42-stitch units...and, well, 62 divided by two is not 42. I contemplated making it a narrower scarf, but instead I bit the bullet and ripped it back. Luckily it is an easy pattern. But how did I mistake 62 and 84? All I can think of is that I read a similar pattern online and picked up that number. I am looking forward to the Oscars on Sunday night. I want to see Anatomy of a Fall before the show airs as it’s one of the films I have not seen. The Oscars are starting at 7pm ET, not 8pm ET, with a thought that they will end by 10:30pm ET. The red carpet starts at 4pm ET, which means that stars need to be glammed up for the evening by 1pm PT. Wow, that's not much time to get rid of circles under the eyes. Let’s see, the Oscars and one less hour over the weekend. Monday will be a challenge for everyone! Read on, and have a great week...less one hour. 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: THE HUNTER by Tana French  THE HUNTER by Tana French (Thriller) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B by Lisa Unger  THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B by Lisa Unger (Psychological Thriller) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review.  Special Contest:  Set in the Spanish Golden Age, THE FAMILIAR by Leigh Bardugo follows Luzia, a servant in the household of an impoverished Spanish nobleman who reveals a talent for little miracles. Her social‑climbing mistress demands Luzia use her gifts to win over Madrid’s most powerful players. But what begins as simple amusement takes a dangerous turn. We have 25 copies of THE FAMILIAR to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on April 9th. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, March 15th at noon ET. THE FAMILIAR by Leigh Bardugo (Historical Fantasy) What begins as simple amusement for the nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen --- and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor. Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the lines between magic, science and fraud are never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive --- even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santángel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both. - Click here to read Leigh Bardugo's bio. Click here to enter the contest.  Bookreporter.com Bets On: LEAVING by Roxana Robinson  LEAVING by Roxana Robinson (Fiction) When in college Warren asked Sarah to travel through Europe with him, she contemplated it for a short time and then realized that she did not feel he would protect her or care for her as she needed. So she declined, leaving him for the first time. A few decades pass, and they run into each other at the opera, picking up their conversation. Sarah has divorced her husband (another leaving), and her children are grown. Warren still is married, but he and his wife are living in different orbits. At times they come together, but for the most part, the love between them is a lot paler than it once was. Let’s just say that love has left, and instead routine and obligation has settled in. - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read more of Carol's Bets On commentary. Featured Review:  ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST by Xochitl Gonzalez (Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: LISTEN FOR THE LIE by Amy Tintera  LISTEN FOR THE LIE by Amy Tintera (Mystery) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: NORMAL WOMEN by Philippa Gregory  NORMAL WOMEN: Nine Hundred Years of Making History by Philippa Gregory (History) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Bookreporter.com's 13th Annual  Spring is in the air (or will be very soon)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases. Our 13th annual Spring Preview Contests and Feature spotlights many of these picks, which we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through mid-April. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here. Our next contest will be up on Tuesday, March 12th at noon ET. The prize book will be FINLAY DONOVAN ROLLS THE DICE by Elle Cosimano. This year's contest titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details    March’s New in Paperback Roundups
March's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes ZERO DAYS by Ruth Ware, an adrenaline-fueled suspense novel about a woman in a race against time to clear her name and find her husband’s murderer; ROMANTIC COMEDY, a hilarious and deeply tender novel from Curtis Sittenfeld, in which a comedy writer thinks she has sworn off love --- until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions; Megan Miranda's THE ONLY SURVIVORS, a thrilling mystery about a group of former classmates who reunite to mark the 10th anniversary of a tragic accident --- only to have one of the survivors disappear, casting fear and suspicion on the original tragedy; and HANG THE MOON by Jeannette Walls, a riveting work of historical fiction about an indomitable young woman in Virginia during Prohibition.
Among our nonfiction highlights are WE SHOULD NOT BE FRIENDS, a warm and funny book from Will Schwalbe that follows an improbable and life-changing college friendship over the course of 40 years; THE WATCHMAKER'S DAUGHTER by Larry Loftis, the first major biography of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch watchmaker who saved the lives of hundreds of Jews during WWII --- at the cost of losing her family and being sent to a concentration camp; Kate Swenson's FOREVER BOY, a powerful memoir about motherhood and unconditional love from the creator of Finding Cooper's Voice; and the paperback original I PROMISE IT WON’T ALWAYS HURT LIKE THIS, Clare Mackintosh's deeply felt memoir of unfathomable loss and infinite hope.
   March’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 March's offerings, please click here.
Film Releases
Arthur the King
Release Date: March 15th (wide release in theaters) Based on: ARTHUR: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home, by Mikael Lindnord
One Life
Release Date: March 15th (wide release in theaters) Based on: IF IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton, by Barbara Winton
Series Premieres
"Apples Never Fall" (7-episode limited series)
Release Date: March 14th on Peacock (all episodes will be available) Based on: APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty
"Manhunt" (7-episode limited series)
Release Dates: Fridays on Apple TV+; Series Premiere on March 15th (the first two episodes will be available) Based on: MANHUNT: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson "We Were the Lucky Ones" (8-episode limited series) "A Gentleman in Moscow" (8-episode limited series)
“Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” "Masters of the Air" (9-episode miniseries) On DVD The Color Purple Ferrari    More Reviews This WeekPARASOL AGAINST THE AXE by Helen Oyeyemi (Fiction/Magical Realism) THE BERLIN LETTERS: A Cold War Novel by Katherine Reay (Historical Thriller) THE AMERICAN DAUGHTERS by Maurice Carlos Ruffin (Historical Fiction) STARRY FIELD: A Memoir of Lost History by Margaret Juhae Lee (Memoir) MY NAME WAS EDEN by Eleanor Barker-White (Psychological Thriller) THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT by Joanne Leedom-Ackerman FINDING SOPHIE by Imran Mahmood (Domestic Thriller) OTTER COUNTRY: An Unexpected Adventure in the Natural World by Miriam Darlington (Nature/Travel Memoir) DEAD IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA by Venita Blackburn (Fiction)   
Next Week's Notables:
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