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The countdown to the holidays is on. This year, both Christmas and the first day of Hanukkah fall on the same day, which is 19 days from now (for those of you who are counting!). I have one small gift bought, and I do not have many ideas for what to get people beyond that. I just have not dropped into “gift-giving/shopping mode.”
Here the house is VERY decorated for Christmas. I think I am about 95% done after sprinting around here last Friday and Saturday spreading lots of cheer. The garage has been heated all week so I could plant amaryllis for gift giving. The garage plan is to ensure that the kitchen remains dirt-free, which is a wise idea. Somehow newspaper on the table is never enough when I am planting.
While decorating the house, I listened to audiobooks, which made for some great multitasking. I started with RAISED BY A SERIAL KILLER: Discovering the Truth About My Father by April Balascio. I know; it's not exactly the perfect background as one builds spirit for the holidays. It’s quite the story, though. April actually exposed her father for the crimes that he had committed by looking for open cold cases in places they had lived, and she was instrumental in solving many of them. Her dad confessed to five murders and was serving a life sentence when he died in prison. But April helped to solve more. She and her siblings lived a hard life as her father brutalized her, her mother and her older siblings. I am equally horrified and fascinated by people who kill like this.
Then I listened to THE FROZEN RIVER in anticipation of our book group event with Ariel Lawhon (more on that below). It was a perfect way to prepare for the program. I really enjoyed hearing Ariel read the Author’s Note at the end, as well as Jane Oppenheimer's narration of the story!
Join Us on Wednesday Evening
for Our Reviewer Event!
As I just mentioned, Ariel Lawhon joined us on Tuesday evening for a “Bookaccino Live” Book Group discussion of THE FROZEN RIVER, which was a “Good Morning America” Book Club pick and an NPR Book of the Year when it was published in hardcover last December. It is now available in paperback and is a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Pamela Kramer has this to say about the book, and it is so dead-on: “A book club would have myriad topics to discuss after reading this thoughtful novel about a time when the health care of women was often better left entirely to women themselves.”
Ariel talks about Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife, and the diary that Martha kept for almost 30 years that informed so much of Ariel’s writing. She points out that the voice of the book was not always first person, but the title never changed, and it took time to figure out exactly what would find its way into the story. While not biographical, the details are period correct. Some of the storytelling had to be compressed into the timeline of a single year, 1789, which is why THE FROZEN RIVER is fiction.
And yes, Ariel reveals what she is writing now and when we can hope to see it. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast. And don't miss my Bets On commentary here.
Our first “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest of 2025 will be Ashley Elston. The event will be held on Wednesday, January 29th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up here for it. We will talk about her #1 New York Times bestseller, FIRST LIE WINS, which was a Reese’s Book Club pick and a Bets On selection when it first published in hardcover last January. Releasing in paperback on January 28th, Ashley’s adult debut introduces readers to Evie Porter, who has everything a nice Southern girl could want. The only catch: Evie doesn’t exist.
Just as we did on Tuesday night, there will be a two-part Q&A session after I talk to Ashley. For the first part, those who are asking a question on camera will be featured. This includes spending time with Ashley backstage in our virtual green room before the show starts. If you would like to ask your question "live on screen" this way, please email me with the subject line "Ashley" by noon ET on January 29th. Be sure to include your name, city and state, as well as your question. If you do not want to appear on camera but still would like to ask a question, please note that you want to be off camera, and share your question --- adding your name, city and state.
Announcing Our BIG End-of-the-Year Contest
Drum roll, please... I am thrilled to announce the start of our 14th annual End-of-the-Year contest! One lucky Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 40 of my Bets On picks from this year, while 10 other winners will receive four of these titles.
Among the books you can win are ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK by Chris Whitaker, DAUGHTER OF MINE by Megan Miranda, HUSBANDS & LOVERS by Beatriz Williams, LONG AFTER WE ARE GONE by Terah Shelton Harris, THE PARIS NOVEL by Ruth Reichl, SHELTERWOOD by Lisa Wingate, and WHAT I ATE IN ONE YEAR: (and related thoughts) by Stanley Tucci (for which we're featuring my Bets On commentary in this newsletter). To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, January 10th at noon ET.
Next week, I am going to be shooting our year-end Bets On video, where I share my thoughts on all 40 of these books. I am looking forward to this, which will be the last video that I do in 2024! It has been quite a year with 27 “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews, 14 “Bookaccino Live” book preview programs, and eight “Bookaccino Live” Book Group events.
After more than 70 years of fighting to live her life on her own terms, Cher finally reveals her true story in intimate detail in her highly anticipated two-part memoir. CHER: The Memoir, Part One follows her extraordinary beginnings through childhood to meeting and marrying Sonny Bono --- and reveals the highly complicated relationship that made them world-famous but eventually drove them apart. The second part of Cher’s memoir will release next November.
In her review, Roberta O’Hara says, “Cher turns back time with Part One of her memoir, taking us on a trip that predates the diva and ends (for now) on the verge of her acting career. It’s a delicious, chronological telling of her roots to the shape of things to come…. For a child who was moved around often, fathered by many, and clothed in thrift store finds for years, Cher was resilient and resourceful, and ultimately a survivor. She learned from the mistakes of her mother and her own miscalculations to become an icon --- of beauty, fashion, talent and so much more.”
Weike Wang follows up CHEMISTRY and JOAN IS OKAY with her third work of fiction, RENTAL HOUSE. This sharp-witted and insightful novel is about a marriage as seen through the lens of two family vacations.
Norah Piehl has our review and calls the book “a fascinating snapshot of a couple at two specific moments in their history.” She goes on to say, “Like Wang's other work, RENTAL HOUSE is funny in a peculiar, truly unexpected way. In the end, it offers a unique vision of what it might take for this couple to manage a future that could work for both of them --- and their respective families.”
Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
RENTAL HOUSE is one of the prizes in our Word of Mouth contest; the other is TO DIE FOR: A 6:20 Man Thriller by David Baldacci. Be sure to let us know by Friday, December 13th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win both these titles.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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THE HOUSE OF CROSS: Supreme Court candidates are being murdered --- and only Alex Cross and John Sampson can take the case in this latest installment of James Patterson’s #1 New York Times bestselling series.
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AGAINST THE GRAIN: Detective Peter Diamond goes undercover at a seasonal festival in this delightful and bittersweet conclusion to the multi-award-winning series, which also will be Peter Lovesey’s final book.
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HEAVY ARE THE STONES: Facing the truth can be deadlier than facing the killer in J.D. Barker’s latest thriller, which he co-wrote with neuropsychologist Christine Daigle. Click here for an interview that Ray Palen conducted with Barker about the book.
December’s New in Paperback Feature
Our New in Paperback roundups for December are now up. We’re featuring paperback fiction reprints from such authors as Harlan Coben (THINK TWICE), James Lee Burke (HARBOR LIGHTS), Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (IT HAD TO BE YOU), Tana French (THE HUNTER), and Nita Prose (THE MYSTERY GUEST); nonfiction titles, including WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IN VEGAS: True Stories of the People Who Make Vegas, Vegas by James Patterson and Mark Seal and AIRPLANE MODE: An Irreverent History of Travel by Shahnaz Habib; and paperback originals like TRIAL BY AMBUSH: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham by Marcia Clark (which we’re reviewing this week) and THE GREATEST LIE OF ALL by Jillian Cantor.
This Month’s Books on Screen Offerings
We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. December’s roundup includes the films Nickel Boys, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Room Next Door and Oh, Canada; the series premieres of "Dexter: Original Sin" on Paramount+ and "One Hundred Years of Solitude" on Netflix; the season premiere of Netflix's "Virgin River"; the conclusion of "The Day of the Jackal" on Peacock and "Like Water for Chocolate" on Max; the season finales of HBO's "Dune: Prophecy" and The CW's "Sullivan's Crossing"; the continuation of "Outlander" on STARZ and "Tracker" on CBS; and the DVD releases of Conclave, White Bird and The Wild Robot.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Are you planning to give books as gifts this holiday season? That continues to be our poll question; let us know by Friday, December 13th at noon ET.
December’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick is DEVOTIONS: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver, a definitive collection spanning more than five decades of the esteemed literary career of Mary Oliver, who passed away in 2019. Jenna says, “I love her work. It’s about nature and love and what it means to be human…. When I’m unsure of the world there are a few things I can do: I can go outside and be in nature. I can lean into my faith. Or something else really therapeutic is reading poetry. I am constantly sending poems to friends and family that describe how I’m feeling on certain days.”
THE LAST ONE, Rachel Howzell Hall’s romantasy debut, is this month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick. Thrown into a desolate land of sickness and unnatural beasts, Kai wakes in the woods with no idea who she is or how she got there. All she knows is that if she cannot reach the Sea of Devour, even this hellscape will get worse. But when she sees the village blacksmith fight invaders with unspeakable skill, she decides to accept his offer of help. Too bad he’s as skilled at annoying her as he is at fighting.
Reese’s Book Club pick for December is CITY OF NIGHT BIRDS by Juhea Kim, which Reese calls a “powerful story.” She goes on to say, “[Here] we’re exploring the fierce and beautiful world of ballet… Natalia faces a choice: return to the demanding world of Russian dance that nearly broke her or walk away for good. This story left me thinking about the ways we overcome setbacks and redefine what truly matters.”
For more December selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
The winners of the 16th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards were announced in 15 categories yesterday. Among them are THE WEDDING PEOPLE by Alison Espach (Fiction), THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah (Historical Fiction), THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore (Mystery & Thriller), FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry (Romance and Audiobook), YOU LIKE IT DARKER by Stephen King (Horror), THE ANXIOUS GENERATION by Jonathan Haidt (Nonfiction), and THE BOOKSHOP by Evan Friss (History & Biography). Click here for all the winners and runners-up.
Of the 15 winners, THE WOMEN received the most number of votes by far (253,147), with FUNNY STORY coming in second (179,349). Here are a few more nuggets about the awards from Suzanne Skyvara, the Vice President of Marketing & Editorial at Goodreads.
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Fun crossover trivia: Yulin Kuang, who won Readers’ Favorite Debut Novel with HOW TO END A LOVE STORY, is the writer/director of the upcoming film adaptation of BEACH READ by Emily Henry.
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The category that had the closest race was Readers’ Favorite Fantasy, where less than 2,000 votes separated the winner, SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE SEA by TJ Klune, and the runner-up, THE FAMILIAR by Leigh Bardugo.
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Stephen King secured his 11th Goodreads Choice win (across four categories: Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Fantasy and Science Fiction), while Sarah J. Maas achieved her eighth Goodreads Choice Award (across Romantasy, Fantasy and Young Adult).
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Elizabeth wrote, “After many, many, many entries for your giveaways, I WON 12 copies of THE FROZEN RIVER in your 'What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?' contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com. I am beyond delighted! Coincidentally, it was our book club choice for January. Now everyone will get a copy, and there won't be any scrambling and reserving from our public libraries! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Bookreporter and everything you do to promote books and reading!”
Susan wrote, “In addition to all of the wonderful 'book reporting' you do, I owe you a HUGE thank you for mentioning the Taylor Swift book being released exclusively by Target in the News & Pop Culture section (my favorite!) several weeks ago. Yes, I was one of those grandmothers at the Coconut Point store in Estero, FL at 6am who was able to get her 13-year-old granddaughter a copy of the book for Christmas. Or she will just die. Do you hear me, Carol? Just die.” Francesca on our team was at Target at 6am last Friday lined up for when the store opened, and she got her copy. It has been quoted that 814,000 hardcovers were sold on Friday and Saturday at Target stores!
Linda wrote, “I am in awe that you can listen to a book while organizing your spices! I've never been able to listen to books or podcasts because my usual focused self never stays focused on the audio. If I don't have to do anything else to hear the story, then I'd rather just read the book! Hats off to your amazing listening skill!” Believe it or not, I can pay more attention when more than one thing is going on.
“A Man on the Inside” on Netflix: I loved this series. Ted Danson did a terrific job as the undercover detective at a senior citizen’s facility.
“Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey” on Netflix: I remember when JonBenét Ramsey was killed in 1996. It was such a big story, but I forgot all the finger pointing that went on. I wonder if there were cameras, and all the other ways to find people that we have today, if the case would have been solved sooner.
“The Agency” on Paramount+ with Showtime: We watched one episode. It felt slow, but I will give it another episode or so. I hear it is inspired by the French drama “Le Bureau des Légendes.”
I saw a headline last week that Australia is banning everyone under 16 from social media. I read more about it last night: “The law will make platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram, liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts.” I have one quibble with this. I was always the youngest in my class, based on when my birthday fell, and socially that was tough. I would love if it was at the start of X year in school instead of an age level, but that may be too tough to mandate.
I saw this note on Giving Tuesday: “Penguin Random House is celebrating 10 years of partnership with Save the Children through a multiyear book donation of one million books to spread the joy of reading to kids everywhere. Since 2014, Penguin Random House has donated over two million books to children and families participating in Save the Children’s programs and has also supported many of the global humanitarian organization’s emergency response efforts around the world. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of our partnership, for every book purchased on penguinrandomhouse.com from now through December 10th, Penguin Random House will donate $1 to Save the Children, up to $10,000.”
I am celebrating my birthday this weekend. Yes, I am turning 27 once again! I am going out to dinner with Husband Tom at one of our favorite restaurants tomorrow, and Cory and Kaltrina are coming over to celebrate on Sunday.
I am going to try to relax this weekend, which is why I raced around decorating last weekend. Our neighborhood is doing its annual luminary “light up the neighborhood” on Saturday night. I think that will be a great way to celebrate my birthday --- the neighborhood with lots of candles. I am sure that Tom will be happy to have me blow out all the candles at our house at the end of the evening; he dreads the setup and cleanup for this event. In honor of my birthday, I have told him there can be no bah humbug!
Really big book news for me: I am turning my focus to 2025 reading…and I am so excited about it! I am not sure where to start. I already have several shelves of advance copies waiting for me, which Francesca has helped me organize.
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: CHER: The Memoir, Part One by Cher
CHER: The Memoir, Part One by Cher (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Cher and Stephanie J. Block
After more than 70 years of fighting to live her life on her own terms, Cher finally reveals her true story in intimate detail, in a two-part memoir. As a dyslexic child who dreamed of becoming famous, Cher was raised in often-chaotic circumstances, surrounded by singers, actors and a mother who inspired her in spite of their difficult relationship. With her trademark honesty and humor, CHER traces how this diamond in the rough succeeded with no plan and little confidence to become the trailblazing superstar the world has been unable to ignore for more than half a century. It follows her extraordinary beginnings through childhood to meeting and marrying Sonny Bono --- and reveals the highly complicated relationship that made them world-famous but eventually drove them apart. Reviewed by Roberta O'Hara.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: RENTAL HOUSE by Weike Wang
RENTAL HOUSE by Weike Wang (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jen Zhao
Keru and Nate are college sweethearts who marry despite their family differences: Keru’s strict, Chinese, immigrant parents demand perfection, while Nate’s rural, white, working-class family distrusts his intellectual ambitions and his “foreign” wife. Some years into their marriage, the couple invites their families on vacation. At a Cape Cod beach house, and later at a luxury Catskills bungalow, Keru, Nate and their giant sheepdog navigate visits from in-laws and unexpected guests, all while wondering if they have what it takes to answer the big questions: How do you cope when your spouse and your family of origin clash? How many people (and dogs) make a family? And when the pack starts to disintegrate, what can you do to shepherd everyone back together? Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
New Special Contest:
Enter to Win Our End-of-the-Year Celebration,
Featuring All 40 "Bets On" Titles from 2024
We are thrilled to announce our End-of-the-Year contest featuring Carol Fitzgerald's Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2024. One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 40 books, while 10 other readers will receive four of these titles.
To enter, all you have to do is fill out this form by Friday, January 10th at noon ET.
Here are this year's Bets On selections:
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon
and WHAT I ATE IN ONE YEAR by Stanley Tucci
THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon (Historical Mystery)
There are times when I wonder WHY I did not get to a book sooner. This was the case with THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon. It came out a year ago, and I just got to it last week. I loved the first-person voice of Martha Ballard, a renowned midwife who delivered babies in Maine. The novel is set in the winter of 1789 when the river has frozen --- and a man’s body is discovered there. The mystery of how he got there and who was responsible sets up the backbone of the book. What Martha is able to uncover --- and how she does it --- is what makes the story special.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to watch our "Bookaccino Live" Book Group event with Ariel Lawhon.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the event.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE FROZEN RIVER.
WHAT I ATE IN ONE YEAR: (and related thoughts) by Stanley Tucci (Memoir)
I love it when authors who write memoirs or share their thoughts narrate their own work. So when I saw that Stanley Tucci narrated WHAT I ATE IN ONE YEAR, I was all in for a listen. What a fun idea to chronicle what one ate/cooked/dined out on over the course of a year. As I am writing this, I just devoured a Trader Joe’s Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese. I realize that instead I should have zeroed in on one of the recipes in the book’s pages and whipped up something that was much more of a culinary delight.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on WHAT I ATE IN ONE YEAR.
Featured Review:
THE HOUSE OF CROSS by James Patterson
THE HOUSE OF CROSS: An Alex Cross Thriller by James Patterson (Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Wayne Carr, Inger Tudor, William Christopher Stephens, Peter Giles, Zeno Robinson, Christine Lakin and Andrew Kishino
In Washington, DC, the president-elect is planning her inauguration. The list of Supreme Court candidates is highly confidential --- until it becomes evidence in Detective Alex Cross’ toughest investigation. One candidate is gunned down. A second is stabbed. A third is murdered near midnight on a city street. Cross is the FBI’s top expert in criminal behavior. For the sake of his family, his city and his country, he must put himself in the most dangerous place there is: inside the mind of a diabolical killer. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: AGAINST THE GRAIN by Peter Lovesey
AGAINST THE GRAIN: A Peter Diamond Investigation by Peter Lovesey (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by James Langton
Detective Peter Diamond is taking a short holiday. His former colleague, Julie Hargreaves, has invited Diamond and his partner, Paloma, to visit the idyllic village of Baskerville. The woman who owns the village’s largest dairy farm has been convicted of manslaughter following a terrible accident in her grain silo. Julie’s ex-investigator instinct tells her there has been a miscarriage of justice and a murderer is on the loose. But Julie has been keeping secrets of her own and can’t take her inquiry any further. Diamond takes the bait. The case is a fascinating one, but maintaining his innocent tourist facade becomes harder as he closes in on his suspects. AGAINST THE GRAIN is the conclusion to the Peter Diamond series --- and Peter Lovesey’s final book. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review & Interview:
HEAVY ARE THE STONES
by J.D. Barker and Christine Daigle
Facing the truth can be deadlier than facing the killer in J.D. Barker and Christine Daigle’s newly released thriller, HEAVY ARE THE STONES. In this interview conducted by Bookreporter reviewer Ray Palen, Barker talks about the importance of covering serial killers and how they operate, the major contribution that his co-author made to the novel, the religious motifs in the story and what they are meant to symbolize, the significance of the book’s title, and the exciting project that he and Daigle are currently working on.
HEAVY ARE THE STONES by J.D. Barker and Christine Daigle (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Eva Kaminsky and Michael Crouch
Five years ago, when Detective Jena Campbell put the Leviticus Killer behind bars, she locked her darkest secret away with him. Something never meant to surface. Something better left to rot with the madman who had destroyed so many lives. When a strange man calling himself Azrael appears on social media with threats to unleash 10 plagues and 10 deaths in 10 days unless Leviticus is released, Jena is forced to reopen that door and face her past. Unable to share what she knows, she turns to the only man who can help her find Azrael before he kills again, the man she condemned. Jena quickly learns that the only thing more terrifying than facing him is facing herself. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Read our review and interview.
December’s New in Paperback Roundups
December's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes THINK TWICE by Harlan Coben, a blistering thriller of secrets, lies and dangerous conspiracies that threaten to cover up the truth when a man presumed dead is suddenly wanted for murder; Tana French's THE HUNTER, a nuanced, atmospheric tale that explores what we’ll do for our loved ones, what we’ll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide; THE MYSTERY GUEST, the second installment in Nita Prose's fun and entertaining series featuring Molly Gray, the esteemed Head Maid of the five-star Regency Grand Hotel, who must uncover the truth behind the death of a world-renowned mystery author, no matter how dirty; and AGAIN AND AGAIN by Jonathan Evison, a poignant and endlessly surprising story about love lost, found and redeemed.
Among our nonfiction highlights are WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IN VEGAS, a dazzling journey in which James Patterson and Vanity Fair contributing editor Mark Seal show the real Vegas, transporting readers from the thrill of adrenaline-fueled vice to the glitter of A-list celebrity and entertainment; A GIANT WIN, a fascinating self-portrait of legendary New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin during his signature game --- the unforgettable Super Bowl that changed NFL history; and AIRPLANE MODE, a witty personal and cultural history of travel from the perspective of Shahnaz Habib, a Third World-raised woman of color, that asks: What does it mean to be a joyous traveler when we live in the ruins of colonialism, capitalism and climate change?
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
December 2nd, December 9th, December 16th,
December 23rd and December 30th.
December’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 December's offerings, please click here.
Film Releases
Oh, Canada
Release Date: December 6th (limited)
Based on: FOREGONE by Russell Banks
Nickel Boys
Release Date: December 13th (limited)
Based on: THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead
The Room Next Door
Release Date: December 20th (limited)
Based on: WHAT ARE YOU GOING THROUGH by Sigrid Nunez
Series Premieres
"One Hundred Years of Solitude"
Release Date: December 11th on Netflix (all episodes of Season 1 will be available)
Based on: ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE by Gabriel García Márquez
"Dexter: Original Sin"
Release Dates: Fridays on Paramount+; Series Premiere on December 13th
Based on: The Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay
Season Premiere
"Virgin River"
Release Date: December 19th on Netflix (all episodes of Season 6 will be available)
Based on: The Virgin River series by Robyn Carr
Series Finales
"Like Water for Chocolate" (6-episode limited series)
Release Dates: Sundays on Max; Series Finale on December 8th
Based on: LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE by Laura Esquivel
"The Day of the Jackal" (10-episode limited series)
Release Dates: Thursdays on Peacock; Series Finale on December 12th (the last two episodes will be available)
Based on: THE DAY OF THE JACKAL by Frederick Forsyth
On DVD
Conclave
DVD Release Date: December 17th
Based on: CONCLAVE by Robert Harris
Bookreporter.com’s “What to Give, What to Get” Guide:
“Reader Perfect” Suggestions
for Holiday Giving and Getting
We at Bookreporter.com know that readers crave ideas for gift-giving --- and getting --- at the holidays. With this in mind, we are offering a "What to Give, What to Get" Guide with four "Reader Perfect" suggestions.
THE BLUE HOUR by Paula Hawkins (Psychological Thriller)
This masterful novel, as page-turning as it is unsettling, recalls the sophisticated suspense of Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith and cements Paula Hawkins’ place among the very best of our most nuanced and stylish storytellers.
EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET: A Festive Mystery by Benjamin Stevenson (Mystery)
Unwrap all the Christmas staples in Benjamin Stevenson's new Ernest Cunningham mystery: presents, family, an impossible murder or two, and a deadly Advent calendar of clues. If Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club kissed under the mistletoe.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS AT DUNDER MIFFLIN written by Brian Baumgartner and Ben Silverman, illustrated by Maël Gourmelen (Fiction/Humor)
Spend “The Night Before Christmas” at Dunder Mifflin in this hilarious and timeless illustrated retelling of the beloved poem, featuring a visit from Michael Scott as Santa and narrated by Kevin Malone (author Brian Baumgartner).
SANTA OVERBOARD: A Potomac Shores Holiday by Carolyn McBride (Romantic Comedy)
Filled with heartwarming humor, time-honored tradition, the soul-stirring natural world, and even some yummy holiday recipes, the second book in Carolyn McBride’s Potomac Shores series is a delightful, feel-good escape to the enchanting banks of Virginia’s Potomac and Occoquan Rivers.
Click here to see our "What to Give, What to Get" Guide.
TRIAL BY AMBUSH: Murder, Injustice, and the Truth about the Case of Barbara Graham by Marcia Clark (True Crime)
Audiobook available, read by Marcia Clark
Unwanted and neglected from birth, Barbara Graham had to overcome the odds just to survive. Her record of petty crimes spoke to a life that constantly teetered on the brink of disaster. But in 1953, when a robbery spiraled out of control and escalated into a brutal murder, Barbara became the centerpiece of a media circus. Her beauty enraptured the press, and they were quick to portray her as a villainous femme fatale despite abundant evidence to the contrary --- a fiction the prosecution eagerly promoted. The frenzy of public interest and willful distortion paved a treacherous path for Barbara Graham. In TRIAL BY AMBUSH, Marcia Clark investigates the case, exposing the fallacies in the demonizing picture they painted and the critical evidence that was never revealed. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
GABRIEL'S MOON by William Boyd (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by George Blagden
Gabriel Dax is a young man haunted by the memories of a fire that took his mother’s life. Every night, when sleep finally comes, he dreams about his childhood home in flames. His days are spent on the move as an acclaimed travel writer, capturing the changing landscapes of Europe in the grip of the Cold War. When he is offered the chance to interview Patrice Lumumba, the newly elected president of the People’s Republic of the Congo, he finds himself drawn into a web of duplicities and betrayals. Falling under the spell of Faith Green, an enigmatic and ruthlessly efficient MI6 handler, he becomes “her spy,” unable to resist her demands. But amid the peril, paranoia and passion consuming Gabriel’s new covert life, there also will be revelations closer to home that may change his own story and the fates of those around him. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
THE RIVALS by Jane Pek (Literary Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Eunice Wong
Claudia Lin --- mystery novel superfan and, until recently, clichéd underemployed English major --- has scored her dream job: co-running Veracity, a dating detective agency for chronically online New Yorkers who want to know if their prospective partners are telling the truth. Unfortunately, along the way, she and her colleagues have uncovered a far-reaching AI conspiracy. And the corporate matchmakers may be resorting to murder to protect their secrets. In the wake of a client’s sudden death, Claudia convinces his ex, an industry insider, to turn on his employer and feed the verifiers information about what the powerful dating platforms are really up to. But even as Claudia starts to get a feel for this new genre, she fears that her beloved older brother is unwittingly being drawn into the matchmakers’ deadly web. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
RAISED BY WOLVES by James Patterson and Emily Raymond (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Lauren Fortgang and Robb Moreira
Two teens appear out of nowhere, ransacking a small-town grocery store and attacking the police officers who come to investigate. Their clothes are torn and filthy, their hands and bare feet callused, and they have fangs. They’re sister and brother, alone against the world. Where did they come from? Raised by wolves, they say. Kai and Holo are taken in by the police chief and his wife, and they begin adjusting to life in a small town, attending school and going on dates. But humans, they find, are the most vicious animals. And the mystery of their upbringing brings dark and powerful forces to Kokanee Creek, tearing the town apart and threatening the lives of everyone they love. How will the wolves survive? How will Kai and Holo? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
TROUBLE ISLAND by Sharon Short (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Jennifer Jill Araya
Many miles from anywhere in the middle of Lake Erie, Trouble Island serves as a stop-off for gangsters as they run between America and Canada. The remote isle is also the permanent home to Aurelia Escalante, who serves as a maid to Rosita, lady of the mansion and wife to notorious Prohibition gangster Eddie McGee. Aurelia wants nothing more than to escape Trouble Island, but she is hiding a secret of her own. She is in fact not a maid, but a gangster’s wife in hiding, as she runs from the murder she committed five years ago. Shortly after the group of criminals, celebrities and scoundrels arrive, Rosita suddenly disappears. Aurelia plans her getaway, going to the shore to retrieve her box of hidden treasures, but instead finds Rosita’s body in the water. Someone has made sure Aurelia was the one to find her. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE CLOSE-UP by Pip Drysdale (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Billie Fulford-Brown
When Zoe Ann Weiss moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, her whole future is wide open. But then Zach, the bartender and aspiring actor she’s falling for, ghosts her. Her debut novel, a thriller, fails. And she has writer’s block worse than ever before. Now, three years later, Zoe is facing her 30th birthday, a dead-end job at a flower shop, and a demanding agent. But when she goes to make a flower delivery and Zach is at the address, it’s like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating in secret, and her writer’s block disappears. But then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first novel goes viral, and now everyone seems to know her name. Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name --- including the mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
THE BASKETBALL 100: The Story of the Greatest Players in NBA History by David Aldridge and John Hollinger, with The Athletic NBA Staff (Sports/History)
Audiobook available, read by Jaime Lincoln Smith
Over the course of 100 luminous player profiles, the best sports newsroom on the planet paints vivid portraits of the game’s most compelling characters. They include George Mikan, Gary Payton, Dennis Rodman, Allen Iverson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Steph Curry. Edited by award-winning reporters David Aldridge and John Hollinger, THE BASKETBALL 100 also answers the game’s toughest, most important questions: How should we weigh championship rings, versus statistical profiles, versus the “eye test”? Were the great players of yesteryear, like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, propelled by the inferior athleticism of their competition, or would they have been transcendent in any era? And of course, who’s the GOAT --- MJ or LeBron? Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
ALL THE OTHER ME by Jody Holford (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kelli Tager
Isabelle Duprees is one of Forbes's most powerful self-made women and has built a reputation as one of New York's savviest investors and sharpest advisors. With a penthouse overlooking Central Park, an open invitation to any event she wishes to attend, and a weekly date with a man who won't ask too much of her, Isabelle's carefully curated life is exactly what she wants. Until it isn't. After her estranged sister shows up, circumstances --- and too much champagne --- have Isabelle Googling herself, only to discover three other women her age, with the same name, birthdate and familiar features. Too curious not to follow this rabbit hole, Isabelle and her sister embark on a road trip that leads them back to their hometown --- and possibly each other. On the way, they seek out all the other Isabelles and find each one of them living a life that could have been hers if she'd made different choices. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on December 10th
Below are some notable titles releasing on December 10th 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 December 9th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
HOW TO GET A LIFE IN TEN DATES by Jenny L. Howe (Romantic Comedy)
In this charming new rom-com from Jenny L. Howe, a young woman who's fed up with dating challenges her family and friends to set her up on 10 dates. But she gets more than she bargained for when her best friend adds himself to the roster.
A MONSOON RISING: A Hurricane Wars Novel by Thea Guanzon (Fantasy/Romance)
Two hearts circle each other in the eye of the storm in this highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller THE HURRICANE WARS. Prepare for more enemies-to-lovers romance, magical adventures and political schemes in this Southeast Asian-inspired world.
NOT IN MY BOOK by Katie Holt (Romantic Comedy)
Rosie writes romance novels and listens to Taylor Swift on loop. Aiden is a literary fiction writer who doesn't believe in happy endings. They're about to write a book together. What could go wrong?
THE REST IS MEMORY by Lily Tuck (Historical Fiction)
First glimpsed riding on the back of a boy’s motorcycle, 14-year-old Czeslawa comes to life in this mesmerizing novel by Lily Tuck, who imagines her upbringing in a small Polish village before her world imploded in late 1942.
WHAT THE WIFE KNEW by Darby Kane (Domestic Thriller)
Darby Kane, author of the #1 international bestseller PRETTY LITTLE WIFE, returns with another twisty domestic thriller about a wife wondering who tried to kill her husband twice before finally succeeding...because that was supposed to be her job.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Ina Garten, Benjamin Stevenson, Jillian Cantor
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, December 9th at 7pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome beloved Food Network personality, Instagram sensation and cultural icon Ina Garten for a live virtual discussion of her long-awaited memoir, BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS. Ina will be in conversation with broadcast journalist and writer Lynn Sherr.
Tuesday, December 10th at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda will talk to Benjamin Stevenson about EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET, his third Ernest Cunningham mystery.
Wednesday, December 11th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Jillian Cantor about her new novel, THE GREATEST LIE OF ALL, in which a glamorous romance novelist and an aspiring starlet share an unexpected secret.
Wednesday, December 11th at 8pm ET: “Bookaccino Live” Best of 2024 Event: Join us for a special “Bookaccino Live” evening event as seven Bookreporter reviewers share their favorite books of 2024. Our guests will be Kate Ayers, Harvey Freedenberg, Pamela Kramer, Bronwyn Miller, Rebecca Munro, Ray Palen and Stuart Shiffman. We always look forward to hearing which titles resonated the most with our reviewers.
Thursday, December 12th at 7pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome bestselling authors Tessa Bailey, Ally Carter, Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone for a live virtual holiday romance panel. They will be in discussion about their latest, and spiciest, holiday rom-coms: Tessa's WINDOW SHOPPING, Ally's THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR, and Julie and Sierra's A JINGLE BELL MINGLE.
"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 this year include:
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Giving Books for the Holidays
Are you planning to give books as gifts this holiday season? Please check all that apply.
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I am planning to give print books (hardcovers and/or paperbacks).
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I am planning to give e-books.
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I am planning to give audiobooks.
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I am planning to give a gift card that will allow the recipient to buy a print book, e-book or audiobook.
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I am not planning to give any books or book gift cards this year.
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I am not sure what I am doing.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, December 13th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You've Read --- 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 November 22nd to December 13th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of RENTAL HOUSE by Weike Wang and TO DIE FOR: A 6:20 Man Thriller by David Baldacci.
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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