Weekly Update

January 16, 2026

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We recently have added a number of new subscribers, so we wanted to take a moment to welcome you to the Bookreporter.com newsletter. We love to hear from our readers, so if you have any questions, comments or feedback, let us know!

On Wednesday afternoon, after our first “Bookaccino Live” event of the year, we turned off the camera and went to questions from the audience as we always do. It ended up being a lively conversation for about 45 minutes, where readers asked Tom (Editorial Director Tom, not Husband Tom) and I questions about books, authors and review coverage. We moved briskly from topic to topic.

Afterwards we got a number of really lovely notes from attendees who appreciated our candor in describing how we select what to cover --- and so much more that goes into our thinking about what runs on the site. We definitely have honed what we do over the past (almost) 30 years.

Drum roll, please…
Congratulations to Cheryle F. from Shepherd, MT, who is the Grand Prize winner in our End-of-the-Year contest! She has won all 42(!) of my Bookreporter.com Bets On titles from 2025, while seven others are receiving six of these books. Click here to see if you are one of them! Francesca and I packed up all the prizes today and took them to the post office. In the photo above, you can see how happy we were after we finished boxing everything!

I spent a second Thursday evening in January at The Strand for an author event. This time, it was to see Belle Burden, the author of STRANGERS: A Memoir of Marriage, who was in conversation with Anna Quindlen. STRANGERS, an upcoming Bets On pick, has gotten a lot of media attention, and the buzz surrounding it has been so strong. The event space was packed --- and the event manager mentioned that they had upped their order of books more than once since they booked the program. I loved hearing this news.

As expected, Anna was a brilliant conversation partner. I could tell that she was completely caught up in Belle’s story and her storytelling. And yes, she was just as astounded as others of us who have read STRANGERS have been on the swiftness with which Belle’s husband ended their marriage. She also was drawn into the storytelling of how Belle analyzed what happened and rebuilt her life. In the photo above, Belle is listening to a question from an attendee.

I met Belle and heard about this book for the first time at an event back in November, and I have been talking about it ever since. More than once I have described it to people, and they think that I am talking about a novel, not a memoir. My friends Beverley and Annmarie were at the program as well. On the drive home, I played the opening couple of chapters of the audiobook for Annmarie (I enjoy listening to memoirs), and she was quickly drawn into the story. She loved hearing Belle narrate it and said that her voice will stay with her as she reads the book.

We have our review of STRANGERS this week from Sarah Rachel Egelman, who calls it “an honest, raw and poignant look at partnership and loss.” She goes on to say, “Burden is forthright and sincere about her responses, thoughts and feelings, and STRANGERS is written with candor and emotional control…. [S]he asks some important and thoughtful questions about relationships, and her story is engrossing due to the strength of her writing.”

I love the end of that sentence. When Belle was back in college at Harvard, she took a writing class and came away feeling that she was not a writer. I hope the professor who taught that class reads this book!

Don’t miss my interview with Belle in next week’s newsletter, followed by my Bets On commentary in the January 30th newsletter.

I am thrilled to announce that Allen Levi will be our first “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest of 2026. The event is just around the corner --- Tuesday, January 27th at 8pm ET --- so the time to sign up for it is NOW.

We will talk about Allen’s debut novel, THEO OF GOLDEN, which was self-published in 2023 and sold more than 170,000 copies. Simon & Schuster re-released it last fall, and it’s become a New York Times bestseller. Here’s the book’s premise: One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why. His name is Theo. And he asks a lot more questions than he answers.

There will be a two-part Q&A session after I talk to Allen.

For the first part, those who are asking a question on camera will be featured. This includes spending time with Allen 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 "Allen" by noon ET on January 27th. 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.

Then we will take questions from other members of the audience.

I was late to the party reading THEO OF GOLDEN, but I completely see what all the excitement has been about. I am so looking forward to this event and hope that you can join us for what promises to be a fun and lively discussion --- and that you tell your fellow readers about it as well.

Reminder to Sign Up for Wednesday Evening's
“Bookaccino Live” Winter Preview Event

This is your last Weekly Update newsletter reminder to sign up for our “Bookaccino Live” Winter Preview evening event, which we will be hosting on Wednesday, January 21st at 8pm ET.

I will be presenting a number of books releasing this winter that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction. You can register for the program by clicking here.

As we do with all of our “Bookaccino Live” book preview events, those who attend live 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.

As I mentioned earlier, we hosted our first “Bookaccino Live” book preview event of 2026 on Wednesday afternoon. I talked about 33 books releasing between January 13th and February 3rd, along with 12 from March and five notable January 6th titles, that we wanted to get on your radar. You can watch the presentation here and see a list of the featured titles here.

My first “Bookreporter Talks To” interview of the year is with Rebecca Armitage. Her debut novel, THE HEIR APPARENT, was a Reese's Book Club pick and a Bets On selection.

Rebecca describes the book as a modern-day fairy tale. Lexi, who is living in Tasmania and training to be a doctor, is summoned home after a skiing accident kills her father and critically injures her brother. Her grandmother is the Queen of England; she is the heir apparent and must return to London. I loved the cinematic opening scene with the helicopter landing to whisk Lexi away from her life in Australia. Rebecca drew upon her experience as a journalist covering the royal family to create an authentic portrayal of their lives.

The story centers on Lexi's decision between duty to the crown and personal freedom, complicated by a secret that could prevent her from taking the throne. The relationships in the book highlight the sacrifices required by royal life and explore whether or not genuine connections can survive within the constraints of the monarchy.

Rebecca discusses the Australian setting, particularly Tasmania, and its significance in the book. She shares that she moved to Tasmania during the pandemic and realized that it was the perfect place for Lexi's escape. There is a contrast between controlled palace life and Tasmania's wild, natural environment.

Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast. I have always wanted to visit Australia, and after reading this book, I want to be sure I include time to explore Tasmania.

Ashley Elston, who many of you know as the author of FIRST LIE WINS (which Reese selected as her first book club pick of 2024), is back with her latest novel. ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI, which will be a Bets On selection, is a tense, feverish thriller about two women’s lives that are forever intertwined when a murder threatens to expose them both.

Ray Palen has our review and says that ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI is “a solid and twisty read that is full of surprises right up until the last sentence…. This psychological thriller has a mind-bending opening that sets the tone for the rest of the book as you never really know who to trust or what to believe…. Hang on until the very end as Ashley Elston has a lot that she keeps up her sleeve.”

I am planning to interview Ashley once she wraps up her tour.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include:

• HOMESCHOOLED: Stefan Merrill Block’s debut memoir, which is this month’s “Read with Jenna” Book Club pick, is about a mother’s all-consuming love, a son’s perilous quest to discover the world beyond the front door, and the unregulated homeschool system that impacts millions like him. I heard about this book at a publisher preview and almost could not believe what happened to him.
   
• MEET THE NEWMANS: Through the story of a fractured family that plays a perfect version of themselves on a 1960s TV sitcom, Jennifer Niven’s much-talked-about new novel tackles issues of identity, fame, motherhood and more with a tongue-in-cheek twist. This just sounds like fun!
   
• INSIDE MAN: In this sequel to John McMahon's series debut, HEAD CASES, FBI Agent Gardner Camden and the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) team return to investigate potentially connected cases.

I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My first Bets On pick of the year is THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM by Laura Dave, the much-anticipated sequel to THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME, which is this month's Reese's Book Club selection and #1 Indie Next pick. Click here to find out why I’m betting you’ll love this book just as much as our reviewer and I did.

Winter Reading Contest Update
We kicked off our 2026 Winter Reading contests this week by giving away the aforementioned STRANGERS by Belle Burden. Our next contest will be up on Tuesday, January 20th at noon ET. The prize book will be the aforementioned ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI by Ashley Elston.

Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
You also have the opportunity to win ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI and STRANGERS in our Word of Mouth contest. 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, January 23rd at noon ET.

Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 35 titles releasing this month you are planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, January 23rd at noon ET.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

Our “Bookaccino Live” event on Wednesday generated a lot of mail. Here are a few of the messages that we got.

Cheri wrote, “I attended the Bookaccino webinar on Wednesday, and as always, it was a fantastic presentation. I am a bookseller and the moderator of a book club at Theodore's Books in Oyster Bay, NY. I use these presentations to help me select books for our book club and to guide our patrons in their book selections. The conversation after the book reviews was enlightening! Your take on why readers are reading books that were published years ago was spot on. THE CORRESPONDENT and THEO OF GOLDEN prove that the power of the reader is alive and well.”

Marilyn wrote, “Just wanted to thank you for a wonderful presentation yesterday. I especially appreciate your thoughts about the types of books you present. I've been 'with' you since you started Bookreporter. I was a bookseller for 13 years in an independent bookstore, followed by the past 14 years working as a librarian. I'm the Adult Services person in a small library that serves an ever-increasing population. I facilitate two library book clubs that are open to anyone, but are usually attended by 'mature' serious readers.  I also am responsible for ordering adult fiction for our library.”

Kathleen wrote, “Thanks Carol, as always, for a wonderful event! Your webinar keeps me up-to-date on the best new thrillers coming out from all my favorite authors.

“It's been interesting to observe trends over the past years --- from Oprah deciding what everyone should read to the rise of social media and the latest TikToker telling us that romantasy is where it's at. You are so right about the pre-pub hype for new books. The publishers produce ever-increasing entertainment 'shows' to entice booksellers and libraries to order their products. Many of these books drop out of sight after publication. In the meantime, there are many serious writers who write fiction of substance that is only noticed by some serious readers.

“I try my best to order fiction for the library thoughtfully, supplemented by some 'mind candy' requested by our patrons. With current supply issues, we do try to order in advance, but your interviews with authors and presentations are very helpful. Bestseller lists used to be the standard by which bookstores ordered stock, but since there so many forms in which to purchase and read books, all bets are off.”

Margy wrote: “A great Bookaccino. There's so much stuff going on in the industry, and so many fantastic books coming out.”

Train Dreams on Netflix: Based on Denis Johnson's 2011 novella of the same name, this quiet but very moving film centers on 80 years of the life of Robert Grainier around Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

People We Meet on Vacation on Netflix: This film was total fun. It’s a light Friday night kind of a movie that just makes you smile.

“His & Hers” on Netflix: The twists, the twists, the twists, right down to the end. Pay attention so you can keep up! This series is based on Alice Feeney's novel of the same name. Also, I just heard that Alice’s latest thriller, MY HUSBAND’S WIFE, has been picked up for a film deal.

“The Pitt” on HBO Max: Whew, it is only one episode a week, and the first two of this season were great! It deserves the Golden Globe awards that it won!

“Adolescence” on Netflix: If you have not watched this series, I highly recommended it. It, too, was a big winner at the Golden Globes.

Consider the Picture Book: Internationally bestselling children’s book author and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Mac Barnett recently joined actress Jennifer Garner, a passionate advocate for children’s literacy, for a conversation about great literature hiding in plain sight: the children’s picture book. Picture books are a vibrant and sophisticated --- yet underestimated --- art form. Barnett and Garner talked about how these books work and what sets them apart from other ways of telling stories, challenging adults to reconsider their ideas about storytelling, reading and childhood.

This weekend will be about finishing up de-Christmasing the house. Yes, around my house that is a word. I have bought more organizers for Christmas ornaments, and I am pleased to share that both slim Christmas trees WILL fit in the special tote that I bought for them. Now, what to do with the second one since they were sold as a pair? I read too many thrillers; my first thought is that “this could hold a body.”

Because our lives are such fun, we also are going to be adding new cabinets to our laundry room, and Tom is going to be building a flip-down table for folding clothes. I know, how exciting can my life get? I also want to pick a new color to paint the room. Well, I will not be painting; I will be supervising painting, which means that I only will pick the color. I was demoted from painting after the time 40 years ago when I used a gallon of paint for a small closet. If I am seen with a paintbrush, my husband panics.

Next week, I will be interviewing Paula McLain about SKYLARK and Sadeqa Johnson about KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN, the latter of which releases on February 10th. I am looking forward to both interviews --- and to reading and plotting out questions this weekend.

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:
ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI by Ashley Elston
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

Featured Review: STRANGERS by Belle Burden
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM by Laura Dave
Reese’s Book Club Selection
and #1 Indie Next Pick for January

Featured Review:
HOMESCHOOLED by Stefan Merrill Block
January’s “Read with Jenna” Book Club Pick

HOMESCHOOLED: A Memoir by Stefan Merrill Block (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Stefan Merrill Block
Stefan Merrill Block was nine when his mother pulled him from school, certain that his teachers were “stifling his creativity.” Hungry for more time with her boy, she began to instruct Stefan in the family’s living room. Beyond his formal lessons in math, however, Stefan was largely left to his own devices and his mother’s erratic whims, such as her project to recapture her 12-year-old son's early years by bleaching his hair and putting him on a crawling regimen. Years before homeschooling would become a massive nationwide movement, at a time when it had just become legal in his home state of Texas, Stefan vanished into that unseen space and into his mother’s increasingly eccentric theories and projects. But when, after five years away from the outside world, Stefan reentered the public school system in Plano as a freshman, he was in for a jarring awakening. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's "Read with Jenna" Book Club pick.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: MEET THE NEWMANS by Jennifer Niven

MEET THE NEWMANS by Jennifer Niven (Historical Fiction) 
Audiobook available, read by Marin Ireland and Tim Campbell
For two decades, Del and Dinah Newman and their sons, Guy and Shep, have ruled television as America’s Favorite Family. Millions of viewers tune in every week to watch them play flawless, black-and-white versions of themselves. But now it’s 1964, and the Newmans’ idealized apple-pie perfection suddenly feels woefully out of touch. Ratings are in free fall, as are the Newmans themselves. Del is keeping an explosive secret from his wife, and Dinah is slowly going numb --- literally. Steady, stable Guy is hiding the truth about his love life, and the charmed luck of rock ‘n’ roll idol Shep may have finally run out. When Del is in a mysterious car accident, Dinah hires Juliet Dunne, an outspoken, impassioned young reporter, to help her write the final episode. But Dinah and Juliet have wildly different perspectives about what it means to be a woman, and a family, in 1964. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: INSIDE MAN by John McMahon

INSIDE MAN: A Head Cases Novel by John McMahon (Mystery/Thriller) 
Audiobook available, read by Will Damron
FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He and his squad of brilliant yet quirky agents make up the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, the FBI’s hidden edge, brought in for cases that no one else can solve. PAR’s latest case involves a militia group stockpiling weapons. When their confidential informant in the case is killed, it quickly becomes clear that the militia did not kill him. As the squad looks into the evidence surrounding his murder, an unidentified man is caught on camera with their informant. This mystery man’s picture is connected to another case at the FBI, an unsolved series of murdered women, buried in the ground in north Florida. As PAR juggles an investigation into both the dead women and the militia, they enroll a new informant, only to find the case escalating in dangerous ways. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Bookreporter.com's 11th Annual
Winter Reading Contests and Feature

More Reviews This Week

WINTER: The Story of a Season by Val McDermid (Memoir/Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Val McDermid
Val McDermid has always had a soft spot for winter: the bitter clarity of a crisp cold day, the crunch of frost on fallen leaves, and the chance to be enveloped in big jumpers and thick socks. In WINTER, McDermid takes us on an adventure through the season, from the frosty streets of Edinburgh to the windblown Scottish coast, from Bonfire Night and Christmas to Burns Night and Up Helly Aa. Recalling in parallel memories from her own childhood --- of skating over frozen lakes and carving a “neep” (rutabaga) for Halloween to being taken to see her first real Christmas tree in the town square --- McDermid offers a wise and enchanting meditation on winter and its ever-changing, sometimes ephemeral, traditions. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

FUNDAMENTALS OF BEING A GOOD GIRL by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (Romantic Comedy) 
Audiobook available; read by Connor Crais, Victoria Connolly and Teddy Hamilton
When rookie lecturer Maddie Kowalczk lands at Astra University, she’s looking to start fresh after a messy breakup. But her first night in town takes a twist when she bumps into Bram Loe, who she (not so accidentally) stole a parking spot from earlier that day. The unspoken chemistry as he locks eyes with her while she gets a birthday spanking at a local bar is hotter than a Bunsen burner at full flame. Bram is looking for a break from his hectic life as an ecology professor and dad to rambunctious twins and a busy teenager. So when his college friend’s divorce celebration brings him face to face with the same delectable brat who stole his parking spot, he’s ready for a night to remember. But the next morning, Bram’s world turns upside down. His new nanny? None other than Maddie, who also happens to be the new poli-sci adjunct at the university where he teaches. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

A LONG GAME: Notes on Writing Fiction by Elizabeth McCracken
(Language Arts/Self-Help) 
Audiobook available, read by Elizabeth McCracken
Writing can feel like an endless series of decisions. How does one face the blank page? Move a character around a room? Deal with time? Undertake revision? The good and bad news is that in fiction writing, there are no definitive answers to such questions: writers must come up with their own. Elizabeth McCracken has been teaching for more than 35 years, guiding her many students through their own answers. In A LONG GAME, she shares insights gleaned along the way, offering practical tips and incisive thoughts about her own work as an artist. Writing “is a long game,” she notes. “What matters is that you learn to get work done in the way that is possible for you, through consistency or panic. Through self-recrimination or self-delusion or self-forgiveness: every life needs all three.” Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

SPASM by Robin Cook (Medical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Will Damron
When Laurie Montgomery temporarily steps down from her position as Chief Medical Examiner at the OCME, she and Jack decide to embark on a weekend getaway. And the timing couldn't be better when they receive a call from Jack's old peer, Robert Neilson, MD, about two strange deaths and their potential association with the upswing in Alzheimer's cases in Essex Falls. Laurie and Jack agree to help. Robert tells them that the deaths are of two troublemakers, known to be white extremists, in their late 20s. Prior to their deaths, their behavior had been somewhat bizarre with both complaining of muscle spasms, nausea and off-the-charts anxiety. As Jack and Laurie get to work, they are led to believe that a dangerous bioweapon might be at play, which, in the wrong hands, could threaten the lives of the entire town...and maybe all of America. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

NO ONE KNEW by Kendra Elliot (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Németh-Parker
In the crisp mountain air of central Oregon, a teenage girl’s search for discarded cans leads to a horrifying discovery: a body, brutally murdered and abandoned in the woods. The case falls to Deschutes County Detective Noelle Marshall, who finds herself navigating a community steeped in secrets, suspicion and distrust of outsiders --- especially law enforcement. Miles away, FBI Special Agent Max Rhodes investigates a different kind of darkness --- chatter about a violent uprising from a shadowy militia group preparing for war. The two cases seem worlds apart. But as Noelle digs into the murdered man’s past and Max closes in on the source of the terror plot, their paths begin to converge in a terrifying way. This was no random killing. It was a message. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.

QUEENS AT WAR: England's Medieval Queens, Book Four by Alison Weir (Biography) 
The 15th century was a violent age. In QUEENS AT WAR, Alison Weir chronicles the five queens who got caught up in wars that changed the courses of their lives: the Hundred Years’ War between England and France, and the Wars of the Roses between the royal Houses of Lancaster and York. Against this tempestuous backdrop, Weir describes the lives of five Plantagenet queens, who occupied the consort’s throne from 1403 to 1485: Joan of Navarre, Katherine of Valois, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Widville and Anne Neville. The Medieval Queens books strip away centuries of historical mythologizing to shed light on the genuine accomplishments and bravery of these fascinating female monarchs. QUEENS AT WAR brings the series to an action-packed close. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.

DETOUR by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart (Science Fiction/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Max Meyers
When Ryan Crane, a cop, spots a gunman emerging from an unmarked van, he leaps into action and unknowingly saves John Ward, a billionaire with presidential aspirations, from an assassination attempt. As thanks for Ryan’s quick thinking, Ward offers him the chance of a lifetime: to join a group of lucky civilians chosen to accompany three veteran astronauts on the first manned mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. As the ship is circling Titan, it is rocked by an unexplained series of explosions. The crew works together to get back on course, and they return to Earth as heroes. When the fanfare dies down, Ryan and his fellow astronauts notice that things are different. Some changes are good, but others are more disconcerting. Before the group can connect, mysterious figures start tailing them, and their communications are scrambled. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE NAYSAYERS by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke (Romance/Magical Realism)
Audiobook available, read by Megan Tusing 
At Naysay Inc., Megan’s job is to whisper negative thoughts straight into the minds of clients in the Real World. It’s all in a day’s dirty work in Naysayland, the parallel reality where your negativity is manufactured and self-doubt is a commodity. But when she is assigned to sabotage a romance between lifestyle influencer Lily and author Jasper, Megan’s carefully constructed reality begins to unravel. The project teams her with Ben, the smug but cute whisperer in the next cubicle. As they work to tear down Lily and Jasper’s situationship, Megan and Ben are catching feelings for each other. As their empathy grows, and they start rooting for the relationship they’re tasked with destroying, dreaded HR is sniffing around. Now they’re facing a choice: keep crushing dreams for a paycheck, or risk everything for their own fairy tale. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.

Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on January 20th

Below are some notable titles releasing on January 20th 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 January 19th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES by May Cobb (Domestic Thriller)
 From the author of THE HUNTING WIVES comes a deliciously wicked new thriller about mean girls, mean moms, and the delicious secrets inside all the little houses. 

CRUX by Gabriel Tallent (Fiction)
In this story of intense friendship and grit, two down-and-out teens escape their lives and chase a different future through rock-climbing.

DEPARTURE(S) by Julian Barnes (Fiction)
On the occasion of his 80th birthday, one of our great novelists delivers a playful and profound work about memory, love and the writer's endgame.

EVELYN IN TRANSIT by David Guterson (Fiction)
EVELYN IN TRANSIT delivers much-needed insight and compassion about humanity’s strivings for transcendence and what it might mean to “live the right way.”

THE FLOWER BEARERS: A Memoir by Rachel Eliza Griffiths (Memoir)
Rachel Eliza Griffiths inscribes the trajectories of two transformational relationships with grace and honesty, chronicling the beauty and pain that comes with opening oneself fully to love.

FOOTBALL by Chuck Klosterman (Sports)
FOOTBALL is a hilarious but nonetheless groundbreaking contribution to the argument about which force shapes American life the most. It's for two kinds of readers --- those who know it’s football and those who are about to find out.

THE FRIEND OF THE FAMILY by Dean Koontz (Historical Thriller)
A girl liberated from a carnival sideshow discovers her mysterious purpose in a moving novel about family, sacrifice and transcendent love.

THE FUTURE SAINTS by Ashley Winstead (Fiction) 
For fans of DAISY JONES & THE SIX and IN FIVE YEARS, this powerful and transportive new novel is about a music executive desperately trying to bring a rock band back from the brink.

HALF HIS AGE by Jennette McCurdy (Fiction)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of I'M GLAD MY MOM DIED comes a sad, funny and thrilling novel about sex, consumerism, class, desire, loneliness, the internet, rage, intimacy, power, and the (oftentimes misguided) lengths we’ll go to in order to get what we want.

MY HUSBAND'S WIFE by Alice Feeney (Psychological Thriller)
The New York Times bestselling Queen of Twists is back with a psychological masterpiece that will leave you questioning everything you know about love, identity and revenge.

NO ONE WOULD DO WHAT THE LAMBERTS HAVE DONE by Sophie Hannah (Mystery)
New York Times bestselling author Sophie Hannah spins an unexpected tale of suspense in NO ONE WOULD DO WHAT THE LAMBERTS HAVE DONE, an unsettling reflection on how far we'll go for those we love.

ONE ALADDIN TWO LAMPS by Jeanette Winterson (Memoir/Literary Criticism)
 Jeanette Winterson weaves together memoir, manifesto and a feminist reimagining of ONE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS in this impassioned exploration of the power of reading. 

ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE REVENGE by Brian Freeman (Thriller/Adventure)
The identity of a deadly Chinese spy lies hidden in Jason Bourne’s lost memory in this latest entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

ROOM 706 by Ellie Levenson (Fiction)
A married woman is trapped with her lover in a hotel under siege. If she knew it would end this way, would it ever have begun?

WHEN WE WERE BRILLIANT by Lynn Cullen (Historical Fiction)
They were an unlikely pair --- a blond bombshell and a photographer determined to be taken seriously --- but Marilyn Monroe and Eve Arnold would make a deal that would change their lives.

Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.

From left to right: Jesse Q. Sutanto, Matthew Quirk, Jenna Blum

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

Here are seven upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.

Sunday, January 18th at 6pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Jim Butcher will talk about his latest novel, TWELVE MONTHS. Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, has always managed to save the day. But in this powerful entry in the Dresden Files series, can he save himself?

Monday, January 19th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Jenna Blum will talk to special guest host Karen Odden about her latest thriller, MURDER YOUR DARLINGS, a wickedly witty look at today’s literary landscape and a down-the-rabbit-hole tale of how far people will go for love.

Tuesday, January 20th at 7pm ET: Buzz Books Spring Summer 2026 Fiction Panel: Seven authors will chat with their editors about their upcoming books: Evelyn Clarke (THE ENDING WRITES ITSELF), LJ Ross (IMPOSTOR), Jan Saenz (200 MONAS), Emma Straub (AMERICAN FANTASY), Douglas Stuart (JOHN OF JOHN), Tia Williams (THE MISSED CONNECTION), and Kelly Yang (THE TAKE).

Tuesday, January 20th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Matthew Quirk will talk to special guest host Joseph Finder about his new book, THE METHOD, an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a young actress who must go undercover in a deadly world of espionage to save her best friend…and herself.

Tuesday, January 20th at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda will talk to Jenna Blum about her new novel, MURDER YOUR DARLINGS. For every woman who’s ever fallen for a bad man comes a hilarious and eviscerating tale of love, loss and deadlines.

Wednesday, January 21st at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Jesse Q. Sutanto about her new book, READ BETWEEN THE LIES, a claustrophobic psychological suspense novel in which the line between victim and villain blurs with every chapter.

Wednesday, January 21st at 8pm ET: "Bookaccino Live" Winter Preview Event: Carol Fitzgerald will talk about a number of books releasing this winter that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction.

 "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:

• Rebecca Armitage (THE HEIR APPARENT) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed recently include:

• Megan Abbott (EL DORADO DRIVE) Video | Podcast
• Brisa Carleton (LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY) Video | Podcast
• Alex DeMille (THE TIN MEN) Video | Podcast
• Virginia Evans (THE CORRESPONDENT) Video | Podcast
• Bruce Holsinger (CULPABILITY) Video | Podcast
• Lily King (HEART THE LOVER) Video | Podcast
• Sharon Kurtzman (THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA) Video | Podcast
• Vicky Nguyen (BOAT BABY: A Memoir) Video | Podcast
• Hank Phillippi Ryan (ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS) Video | Podcast
• Francesca Serritella (FULL BLOOM) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Belle Burden (STRANGERS: A Memoir of Marriage)
• Ashley Elston (ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI)
• Sadeqa Johnson (KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN)
• Paula McLain (SKYLARK)
• Wendy Walker (BLADE)

Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.

Our Latest Poll: January Releases to Anticipate

Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, January 23rd at noon ET.

Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You've Read --- and You Can Win Two Books!

Click here to enter the contest.

Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com

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"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts | "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books"
  Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks | Book Festivals

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