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Shoveling Done, Chapters Read
The task of shoveling or plowing has been a chore for many this week. But did you ever think that if you listened to an audiobook while clearing snow, you could measure by pages read instead of inches or feet shoveled? This multitasking would be a lot more fulfilling! “I listened to five chapters, and the driveway is done.” That sounds so much better than just saying, “I shoveled the driveway.”
We have a lot to share this week, so let's get to it!
This week, we kick off a special contest for WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH, the runaway international bestseller by debut novelist Lisa Ridzén and a Bets On selection from last year.
Here’s the book’s premise: Bo is running out of time. These days, his quiet existence is broken up only by daily visits from his home care team. Fortunately, he still has his beloved elkhound, Sixten, to keep him company. But his son is adamant about taking the dog away as he feels Bo has grown too old to properly care for him. The threat of losing Sixten stirs up a whirlwind of emotion, leading Bo to take stock of his life, his relationships, and the imperfect way he has expressed his love over the years.
We have 25 copies of WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH to give away to those who would like to read the book, answer some questions about it, share their comments, and submit a question for Lisa. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, March 13th at noon ET. All winners must be committed to sending us both their feedback and their question for Lisa by Monday, April 13th.
I am planning to chat with Lisa during an upcoming “Bookaccino Live” Book Group program (date and time to come), where I will be asking her some of these questions. For those winners who would like to ask Lisa their question on camera, we would be happy to have you join us. And for those who already have read the book, you also can sign up to attend this event.
Lily King joined us last night for February’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event to discuss her most recent novel, HEART THE LOVER, which is an instant New York Times bestseller and a Bets On pick.
Eight readers joined us on camera to ask Lily questions about the plot and its various twists (spoilers ARE included), as well as character development, her writing process, the book’s title and cover, and much more. Other members of the audience, who submitted their questions via Zoom’s Q&A feature, wanted to know about her involvement with the production of the audiobook (which is narrated by Rebecca Lowman) and what she’s most proud of about HEART THE LOVER.
Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast. Lily is currently on vacation, so we really appreciate her taking the time to join us. Tom and I loved the lively conversation and the enthusiasm that our readers continue to show for this book. It really was a brilliant evening!
Our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest will be Patrick Ryan. The event will be held on Wednesday, March 25th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up here for it.
We will talk about his New York Times bestselling debut novel, BUCKEYE. This “Read with Jenna” Book Club pick and Bets On selection appeared on numerous “Best Books of the Year” lists in 2025. It weaves the intimate lives of two midwestern families across generations, from World War II to the late 20th century.
I will interview Patrick and then will turn to readers who would like to share a question for him on screen (we have special sign-in directions for these attendees, and they will get to chat with Patrick in our “backstage green room” before the program starts), followed by audience questions.
If you would like to ask Patrick a question, please fill out this form by Wednesday, March 25th at noon ET. Remember to include your name, city, state, email address and phone number, as well as your question. And indicate if you would like to be on camera or off.
A week before Patrick Ryan’s event, be sure to join us for a special “Bookaccino Live” Spring Preview evening program on Wednesday, March 18th at 8pm ET. I will talk about a number of books releasing this spring that we think you will enjoy reading. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction. You can sign up for the event by clicking here.
Announcing This Year’s Spring Reading Contests
And while we’re on the subject of spring, today we launched our 15th annual Spring Reading feature, where we are spotlighting a number of new and upcoming releases that people will be talking about this spring --- and beyond. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through mid-April. Five readers will be awarded the book that we are featuring that day. You can sign up here for alerts so you will be notified as soon as these giveaways are up.
We will kick off the feature by giving away THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, which is inspired by the classic TV sitcom “The Golden Girls.” It’s also the first novel that Wade Rouse, the bestselling author of five memoirs, has written under his own name; his previous novels were written under his grandmother’s name, Viola Shipman. The contest will go live at noon ET on the day of its release, Tuesday, March 3rd.
It was announced this week that KIN by Tayari Jones is the first pick of 2026 for Oprah’s Book Club, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. You may remember that Oprah selected Tayari’s previous novel, AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE, as one of her picks when it released in 2018. Tayari’s latest book is about two lifelong friends whose worlds converge after many years apart in the face of a devastating tragedy.
Oprah says, “Tayari’s storytelling washed over me like a trip back home, like a visit with my own ‘kin’ I hadn’t seen in a long while. It is masterful and reminds us of the true bonds we share with family, whether biological or chosen.” Oprah and Tayari recently talked about KIN with an audience of readers in New York City. Click here for their discussion.
Jana Siciliano also has high praise for the book in her review: “KIN is an exceptionally affecting work that is grounded in truth --- truth about racism, truth about womanhood, truth about the ties that bind us. Vernice and Annie can now join the pantheon of great fictional heroines whose journeys will reflect for generations to come a story etched in the stones of history. This breathtaking tour de force is a career high for Tayari Jones, an already proven writer who expands on her talents with a book for the ages.”
I am listening to KIN, and I really am enjoying it. The voice actors, Angel Pean and Ashley J. Hobbs, are SO good!
A woman confronts the surprising results of an ancestry test and begins to question the meaning of family and friendship in Anna Quindlen’s new novel, MORE THAN ENOUGH. Written with her trademark warmth, humor, and insight into the power of love and hope, the book explores how we find ourselves again and again through the relationships that define us.
According to Eileen Zimmerman Nicol in her review, “There’s a lot going on in this nuanced, multilayered novel. Polly narrates her own story with all the self-knowledge that a student of literature brings to the table. The themes are serious, but in Anna Quindlen’s skillful hands, they’re not boring or heavy…. MORE THAN ENOUGH explores and ultimately resolves Polly’s predicament. Her existential questions keep us reading until the satisfying conclusion.”
On Saturday, I am going to Anna's book event that Thunder Road Books is hosting. If you are there, please say hi!
Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
KIN and MORE THAN ENOUGH are our current Word of Mouth prizes. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles. Please do so by Friday, March 6th at noon ET.
Ranging from the 1950s to the present day and moving across age, class and region --- from New England to Florida to California --- the nine stories in Lauren’s Groff’s latest collection, BRAWLER, reflect and expand upon a shared theme: the ceaseless battle between humans’ dark and light angels.
Bronwyn Miller has this to say in her review: “Groff explores generational trauma and privilege, midlife ennui, crushing family obligations and guilt, and the unspoken battles people privately face, all told with her masterful hand…. “[E]ach of these polished gems is rich enough to be expanded into a full-length novel. Lauren Groff’s writing is impeccably precise, gorgeous and nuanced, securing her place as one of the most capable and exciting writers working today.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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THE CROSSROADS: Game warden Joe Pickett fights for his life as his daughters try to uncover who shot him and left him for dead in C. J. Box’s riveting new novel.
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TRUST NO ONE: James Rollins’ new stand-alone thriller thrusts a group of university students into a treacherous hunt across Europe, all to unlock the secrets buried within a centuries-old book that could change humankind forever.
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CROWN CITY: In Naomi Hirahara’s third Japantown mystery, following CLARK AND DIVISION and EVERGREEN, two Japanese American men hired to investigate an art theft discover something much more sinister in turn-of-the-century California.
We wanted to bring to your attention a very special contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com for Brisa Carleton’s debut novel, LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY. I raved about this book when it released last November. It was a Bets On pick, and I had a wonderful conversation with Brisa about it.
Brisa was inspired to write this dual-timeline novel after visiting The Savoy in London more than a decade ago. She saw a footnote about Ada Coleman --- a prominent mixologist at the hotel from 1903 to 1925 --- in a cocktail menu and was surprised that so little information existed about her.
Here are the contest details:
Three book groups will win up to 12 copies of LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY, and they will get to talk to Brisa in May or June. For those who may not know, Brisa is a three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer and investor who has been involved in shows such as Hamilton, Moulin Rouge and Beautiful. I am sure you can imagine just how fascinating a book group chat with her would be!
In addition, we are awarding 25 book group members a single copy of the book, with a promise that they will read it and give us their feedback on it. They also will tell their group members about the book and recommend that they discuss it in June, July or August.
To enter the contest, all you have to do is fill out this form by Monday, March 16th at noon ET. Good luck to everyone who enters!
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My latest Bets On selection is KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN by Sadeqa Johnson, in which one American woman’s vision in post-WWII Germany will tie together three people in an unexpected way. Click here for my commentary. If you missed my interview with Sadeqa from last week, be sure to watch or listen to it.
Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Tracey Lange
Out in paperback this week is WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS? by Tracey Lange, a Bets On pick that takes an intimate look at both sides of a failed marriage and two people who finally must confront the awful pain of their past or risk being consumed by it.
I talked to Tracey about the book last January when it released in hardcover. If you missed the discussion or would like to check it out again, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask about the format of the book you’re currently reading. Is it a hardcover, paperback, audiobook or e-book? We realize you may be juggling more than one book at the same time, so you’ll be able to select multiple formats when answering the question. Click here to let us know by Friday, March 6th at noon ET.
The longlist for the 2026 International Booker Prize has been announced, featuring stories of witchcraft, warfare, trauma, transformation and more. The list celebrates the best works of long-form fiction or collections of short stories translated into English and published in the UK and/or Ireland between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026.
The shortlist of six books will be announced on Tuesday, March 31st, and the winner will be named during a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern on Tuesday, May 19th.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Simone wrote about the Word of Mouth contest where she won THIS IS NOT ABOUT US and the aforementioned KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN: “What a wonderful surprise. Thank you so much! These are actually the two books I’ve been most excited to read, so I’m thrilled to have won them. I really appreciate Bookreporter for hosting such a fun contest, and I can’t wait to dive in!”
Nancy wrote, “What a great contest to win! Thanks so much. I'm into triple digits on the library reserve list for KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN. I loved YELLOW WIFE, and we discussed THE HOUSE OF EVE for one of my book clubs, so I'm especially anxious to read her newest one. THIS IS NOT ABOUT US will be right behind it. Thanks again.”
Lisa wrote, “What a lovely surprise yesterday to see that I won SO OLD, SO YOUNG from the recent “Bookaccino Live”! I love to read and love your newsletter as well.”
“The Pitt” on HBO Max: No cell phones are allowed on the set. Instead Noah Wyle showed off the lending library that they have pulled together. He said there is one rule: “Only bring good books, no crap.”
Jon Meacham on CBS: Meacham was on “CBS Mornings” to talk about his new book, AMERICAN STRUGGLE. You can see it here.
Thanks to all of you who have subscribed to our YouTube channel. We now have more than 7,000 subscribers. We love that people are discovering all the interviews that we have out there. And our podcast numbers are climbing, too. We love what we do, and we are really happy when you discover it!
Except for Saturday's event at Thunder Road Books with my friend, Annmarie, we have no weekend plans except yoga and a much-needed massage tomorrow. I have a ton of filing to get done here. I know...such an exciting life! This is the time of year when I try to get chores done so that when summer comes, I have more free time. And I am looking for so much time to myself for reading!
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: KIN by Tayari Jones
Oprah’s Latest Book Club Pick
KIN by Tayari Jones (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Angel Pean and Ashley J. Hobbs
Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, have been best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood but are fated to live starkly different lives. Raised by a fierce aunt determined to give her a stable home in the wake of her mother’s death, Vernice leaves Honeysuckle at 18 for Spelman College, where she joins a sisterhood of powerfully connected Black women and discovers a world of affluence, manners, aspiration and inequality. Annie, abandoned by her mother as a child and fixated on the idea of finding her and filling the bottomless hole left by her absence, sets off on a journey that will take her into a world of peril and adversity, as well as love and adventure, culminating in a battle for her life. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to see why the book is Oprah's latest Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
MORE THAN ENOUGH by Anna Quindlen
MORE THAN ENOUGH by Anna Quindlen (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kristen Sieh
High school English teacher Polly Goodman can talk about everything and anything with the women in her book club, which is why they’ve become her closest friends and, along with her veterinarian husband, the bedrock of her life. Her students, her fraught relationship with her mother, her struggles with IVF --- Polly’s book club friends have heard about it all. But when they give Polly an ancestry test kit as a joke, the results match her with a stranger. It is clear to Polly that this match is a mistake, but still she cannot help but comb through her family history for answers. Then, when it seems that the book club circle of four will become three, Polly learns how friendships can change your life in the most profound ways. Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: BRAWLER by Lauren Groff
BRAWLER: Stories by Lauren Groff (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Lauren Groff
Ranging from the 1950s to the present day and moving across age, class and region --- from New England to Florida to California --- these nine stories reflect and expand upon a shared theme: the ceaseless battle between humans’ dark and light angels. “In every human there is both an animal and a god wrestling unto death,“ one character tells us. Among those we see caught in this match are a young woman suddenly responsible for her disabled sibling, a hot-tempered high school swimmer in need of an adult, a mother blinded by the loss of her family, and a banking scion endowed with a different kind of inheritance. Motivated by love, impeded by the double edges of other peoples’ good intentions, they try to do the right thing for as long as they can. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
New Special Contest: Enter to Win One of 25 Copies of
WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH by Lisa Ridzén
Share Your Feedback on the Book
and Ask Lisa a Question!
An elderly man attempts to mend his relationship with his son before it’s too late in Lisa Ridzén’s debut novel, WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH, winner of the 2024 Swedish Book of the Year Award and a 2025 Bookreporter.com Bets On selection.
In this special contest, we are giving 25 readers the chance to win a copy of this runaway international bestseller, which is translated by Alice Menzies. All winners must be prepared to provide feedback on the book and share a question for Lisa by Monday, April 13th.
Carol will ask Lisa some of these questions during an upcoming "Bookaccino Live" Book Group event (the date and time will be announced shortly). The winners also will be given the option of appearing on camera to share their question with Lisa.
To enter the contest, please fill out this form by Friday, March 13th at noon ET.
WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH written by Lisa Ridzén, translated by Alice Menzies (Fiction)
Bo is running out of time. Yet time is one of the few things he has left. These days, his quiet existence is broken up only by daily visits from his home care team. Fortunately, he still has his beloved elkhound, Sixten, to keep him company…though now his son, with whom Bo has had a rocky relationship, insists upon taking the dog away, claiming that Bo has grown too old to properly care for him.
The threat of losing Sixten stirs up a whirlwind of emotion, leading Bo to take stock of his life, his relationships, and the imperfect way he’s expressed his love over the years.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to enter the contest.
Announcing Bookreporter.com’s 15th Annual
Spring Reading Contests and Feature
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.
Bookreporter.com's 15th annual Spring Reading 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 first contest will be up on Tuesday, March 3rd at noon ET. The prize book will be THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR by Wade Rouse, a poignant and hilarious story inspired by TV’s beloved "The Golden Girls" that celebrates love, aging, finding your people, and the art of impeccably timed one-liners.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
Special Contest & Author Chat Opportunity
on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY by Brisa Carleton
Set amongst the glittering backdrop of London's iconic Savoy hotel, LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY is about a young woman who is forced to confront her troubled past as she uncovers the story of the hotel’s first female bartender who has been erased from the history books.
The author of this fascinating debut novel, which was a 2025 Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, is Brisa Carleton, a three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer and investor who has been involved in shows such as Hamilton, Moulin Rouge and Beautiful.
In this special contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com, we are giving three readers the opportunity to win up to 12 copies of LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY for their book group, along with a book group chat with Brisa in May or June.
We also are awarding one copy of the book to 25 readers who will agree to read it and give us their feedback on it, share it with their book group, and recommend it for a discussion in June, July or August.
To enter the contest, please fill out this form by Monday, March 16th at noon ET.
LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY by Brisa Carleton (Historical Fiction)
Six years ago, Cinnamon Scott was a young writer on the rise in New York City. But since the sudden loss of her parents, she's been stuck in place. Despite their tragic loss, she and her older sister, Rosemary, have always had each other to lean on. But now, with Rosie living in London and about to give birth to twins, Cinnamon feels more lost than ever.
When Rosie is put on bed rest, Cinnamon flies to her sister's side, where she's temporarily living at The Savoy. She’s immediately swept away by the beauty and history of the legendary hotel and its famed American Bar. When the late-shift bartender tells her the story of Ada Coleman, the woman who crafted the cocktail recipes The Savoy popularized in its famous handbook a century ago, Cinnamon is inspired by the bartender's vivid stories of Ada's fearlessness and can't understand why Ada's name is nowhere to be found.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here for an enhanced book club kit that includes recipes of the cocktails mentioned in the book.
- Click here to watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Brisa Carleton.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to visit Brisa Carleton's website.
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN by Sadeqa Johnson
KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN by Sadeqa Johnson (Historical Fiction)
Sadeqa Johnson has an interesting origin story for KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN. While doing research for her last book, THE HOUSE OF EVE, she came across an article about Mabel T. Grammer, an African American journalist whose “Brown Baby Plan” led to the adoption of 500 mixed-race German orphans after World War II.
Sadeqa tucked that idea away, but she pulled it back up after she submitted THE HOUSE OF EVE. From reading about this one woman’s vision for rescuing these children, she created her character Ethel Gathers, the wife of an American Officer assigned to Occupied Germany in the 1950s.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Sadeqa Johnson.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's Bets On commentary.
Featured Review: THE CROSSROADS by C. J. Box
THE CROSSROADS: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David Chandler
Marybeth Pickett gets the call she has always dreaded: her husband, Joe, is in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head. Joe was found in his pickup at Antler Creek Junction, a crossroads connecting three ranches. Each road leading to a dangerous family. Each family with a different bone to pick with the local game warden. Marybeth and the new sheriff assume that Joe was ambushed by one of the families, but they have no idea which one since Joe didn’t say where he was going or why. With Joe unconscious and fighting for his life with Marybeth at his side, Sheridan, April and Lucy split up and investigate each of the families to uncover the truth of what happened to their father before it’s too late. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: TRUST NO ONE by James Rollins
TRUST NO ONE by James Rollins (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Simon Vance
The ritualistic murder of a British professor at the University of Exeter points to a startling cast of suspects: his own students. All are enrolled in a postgraduate program covering the history of witchcraft, folklore and spiritualism. All evidence points to Sharyn Karr, an American student. Prior to the professor’s death, he had thrust a centuries-old book upon her. It appears to be the handwritten and encrypted diary of an 18th-century mystic and occultist, the Comte de Saint-Germain. The professor begged her to keep the text safe, ending with a warning: Trust no one. Such a responsibility forces her into cooperation with Duncan Maxwell, a fellow postgrad and the 16th in line to the British Crown. The pair clash at every level, but they both need one another. Especially when they discover the book’s opening words: Herein lies the secret to my immortality. Come find me, if you dare. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: CROWN CITY by Naomi Hirahara
CROWN CITY: A Japantown Mystery by Naomi Hirahara (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Brian Nishii
Pasadena, 1903: Eighteen-year-old Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada staggers off the boat from Yokohama, Japan, ready to reinvent himself after the untimely deaths of his parents. He does his best to settle into his work as an art dealer’s apprentice while adjusting to his new home. From his enigmatic photographer roommate, Jack, to the beautiful seamstress living downstairs, Ryui finds himself surrounded by colorful characters and unbelievable opportunities and is soon utterly swept up in all that “Crown City” has to offer. But tensions are seething under Pasadena’s bustling prosperity. Ryui is the victim of an anti-Japanese attack, and a painting is stolen from the studio of Toshio Aoki, Pasadena’s most successful Japanese artist, who then hires Ryui and Jack to investigate. It’s not long before their sleuthing leads them into real danger. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
What’s New on ReadingGroupGuides.com
CROSS AND SAMPSON: An Alex Cross and John Sampson Thriller by James Patterson and Brian Sitts (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Isaiah Mustafa and Dion Graham
Metro PD detective John Sampson stands in a crater in the middle of a DC street, calling in the bomb squad. “Dispatch, this is Sampson. Contact the FBI and the ATF. We’ve got a suspected terrorist attack here.” In Chapel Hill, NC, Alex Cross searches the apartment of a missing psychology grad student --- his own son, Damon. Has following in his famous father’s footsteps made Damon a target? From FBI headquarters, in police stations, on airplanes, and at murder scenes, the detectives track crimes committed hundreds of miles apart. It will take more than distance to weaken the partnership of Sampson & Cross. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
FIRST SIGN OF DANGER: A Haven's Rock Novel by Kelley Armstrong (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Thérèse Plummer
Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are entering a new chapter of life as parents to their six-month-old baby. Their family is hidden away in the sanctuary town of Haven's Rock where they can live safe and private lives. But when they encounter hikers too close to the borders of Haven's Rock, they realize they're in danger of being exposed. When they find one of the hikers dead the next day, they realize that their paranoia was justified, but they're no closer to finding out who these people were and what they were doing in the vicinity of Haven's Rock. Only by tracing the hikers' movements, as well as examining the recent behavior of their closest neighbors, the workers of a secretive mining camp, will they be able to figure out where the threat is coming from and shut it down. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
THE GIRLS BEFORE by Kate Alice Marshall (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Ina Barrón and Karissa Vacker
Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company. Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape. Audrey is a search-and-rescue expert who never stopped looking for her ex-best friend, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Janie used to love the local legend of a forest witch who saves girls from bad men, but Audrey knows now that for every one saved, there’s always another one lost. When she stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have actually been kidnapped from land belonging to the town’s most prominent family, she will have to dig through decades of secrets to reveal the biggest one of all: what happened to the girls before. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
EVIL GENIUS by Claire Oshetsky (Domestic Thriller/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Kimberly Farr
Nineteen-year-old Celia Dent keeps telling herself how lucky she is to be working at the phone company and to be married to Drew. Celia’s contentment with her little life is shattered, though, when a woman she knows from work is murdered in a love tryst gone awry. What would that be like, Celia wonders, to die for love --- or to kill for love? Before she knows it, her musings about love-and-death happenings are bleeding into daily life. Suddenly she’s playing hooky from work and searching for a love tryst of her very own. She’s practicing her marksmanship at a local gun range and thinking about how good it would feel to bury something sharp inside her domineering husband’s ear. It’s all pretend, though, until the night comes when Celia finally goes too far, and she and Drew are set on a deadly collision course. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
LITTLE ONE by Olivia Muenter (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Helen Laser
Catharine West’s parents built a life that was simple and community-focused, an ethos that soon attracted others in need of a change. For a time, her magnetic father was enough to keep the farm thriving and temptation outside its gates. But as she grew older, the farm and family she was raised to love faded into something darker. It’s now been a decade since Catharine abandoned the farm, and she has done her best to reinvent her life, until an email from a charismatic journalist interrupts her peace. Her first instinct is to ignore the stranger’s prying questions. But when she realizes that the journalist knows far more than he’s letting on, she reconsiders. If Catharine can stay one step ahead of him, she may be able to find the one person she never wanted to leave behind --- her sister, Linna --- and make sure her own secrets remain buried. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
A GOOD ANIMAL by Sara Maurer (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Crouch
In the farm country outside Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan --- a border town where life moves slow and dreams run fast --- most kids want out. Not Everett Lindt. He’s set on staying put, rebuilding his family’s sheep farm, and carving a future from the land he loves. Then he meets Mary, a new girl in town with restless energy and bigger plans. When their relationship reaches a crossroads, Everett sees a life together. Mary, however, is desperate to find a way out. Together, they make an impulsive choice --- one that could change everything. Reviewed by Sam Johnson.
THE BODY by Bethany C. Morrow (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Nesta Cooper
Mavis broke from her parents’ congregation years ago, but she still hasn’t recovered. Their impossible expectations and soul-shredding critiques have dug deep into her mind, and she’s taunted by the knowledge that even when she’s done nothing wrong, she’ll never be right. Now Mavis is afraid she’s about to lose the only thing she has: her husband, Jerrod. No one thinks she deserves him --- not even after surviving the serial cheater they wanted her to stick by --- and soon they’ll all find out they were right. Mavis is already unraveling when a brush with death shows her what real fear looks like. Soon, she’s under constant attack from all directions. As the assaults turn increasingly vicious and bizarre, Mavis realizes that Hell isn’t reserved for the afterlife. And sinner or not, no one is coming to save her. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on March 1st and 3rd
Below are some notable titles releasing on March 1st and 3rd 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 March 2nd, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
March 1st
I CAME BACK FOR YOU by Kate White (Psychological Thriller)
A mother begins to challenge everything she’s been told about her daughter’s murder in a shocking novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Kate White.
March 3rd
THE BOOKSTORE DIARIES by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
This summer, the town’s juiciest secrets are revealed in New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery’s joyful and sparkling new novel.
A FAR-FLUNG LIFE by M. L. Stedman (Historical Fiction)
From the author of the acclaimed bestseller THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS comes a breathtaking and epic novel --- set in the vast outback of Australia --- about tragedy, family secrets and the enduring power of love.
FELICIA'S FAVORITES by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
A mother bestows a life-changing legacy on her five adult daughters in this profoundly moving novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel.
GRAVITY: Poems by Elizabeth Rosner (Poetry)
A fearless work from the prize-winning acclaimed author, composed over a period of some 20 years, GRAVITY is Elizabeth Rosner's profoundly searching account of her experience as the daughter of Holocaust survivors.
LADY TREMAINE by Rachel Hochhauser (Fiction)
As if "Bridgerton" met CIRCE, and exhilarating to its core, LADY TREMAINE reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world’s most famous fairy tale.
LAKE EFFECT by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of THE NEST and GOOD COMPANY comes a wry and tender portrait of two families forever changed by one lovestruck decision that will reverberate for decades.
MISSING SISTER by Joshilyn Jackson (Psychological Thriller)
From the New York Times bestselling author of NEVER HAVE I EVER comes a chilling story of sisters and revenge.
THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR by Wade Rouse (Fiction)
In this poignant and hilarious story inspired by TV’s beloved "The Golden Girls," bestselling author Wade Rouse celebrates love, aging, finding your people, and the art of impeccably timed one-liners.
THE TREE OF LIGHT AND FLOWERS: A Jane Whitefield Novel by Thomas Perry (Thriller)
Jane Whitefield is used to protecting vulnerable people, but after she gives birth, the fugitives she must rescue are her own family.
WAIT FOR ME by Amy Jo Burns (Fiction)
From the author of MERCURY and SHINER comes a novel about the bond between two female folk singers, the love stories that haunt them, and the music that brings them together to burn bright.
WANT TO KNOW A SECRET? by Freida McFadden (Psychological Thriller)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden peels back the layers of a seemingly flawless life to expose a picture of obsession, deception and the quiet menace that waits just beyond the frame.
YOU CAN'T CATCH US: Lady Bird Johnson's Trailblazing 1964 Campaign Train and the Women Who Rode with Her by Shannon McKenna Schmidt (History)
At a time when political candidates' wives were expected to be seen and not heard, Lady Bird Johnson made history as the first presidential spouse to take a leading role on the campaign trail. Her mission: to aid her husband, Lyndon B. Johnson, in his reelection bid.
YOU WITH THE SAD EYES: A Memoir by Christina Applegate (Memoir)
Unflinchingly honest and darkly funny, YOU WITH THE SAD EYES unveils a side of Christina Applegate we’ve never seen, forever cementing her formidable and iconoclastic legacy.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
From left to right: Danielle Girard, Allen Levi, Joshilyn Jackson
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are three upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Tuesday, March 3rd at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda will talk to Danielle Girard about her new novel, PINKY SWEAR. This pulse-pounding thriller is about a young woman whose surrogate disappears just days before the baby’s due date, leading to a frantic search that uncovers dark truths and the power of a mother’s love.
Wednesday, March 4th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Joshilyn Jackson about her latest psychological thriller, MISSING SISTER, a chilling story of sisters and revenge.
Thursday, March 5th at 7pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome bestselling author Allen Levi for a live virtual discussion of THEO OF GOLDEN, a beautifully crafted novel about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers long-form, in-depth author interviews. 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 recently include:
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Book Formats
What is the format of the book you are currently reading? Please check all that apply, as we know you may be reading more than one book.
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Hardcover
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Trade paperback
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Mass market paperback
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E-book
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Digital audiobook
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Audiobook on disc
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I am not reading or listening to any books right now.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, March 6th 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 February 20th to March 6th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of KIN by Tayari Jones and MORE THAN ENOUGH by Anna Quindlen.
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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