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Editorial Content for Julie Chan Is Dead

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Norah Piehl

Identical twins Julie Chan and Chloe Van Huusen have grown up in separate families. After their parents died in a car accident, Julie was raised by her aunt. Chloe was adopted by a wealthy, childless white couple and took their last name. But that's not the only way their lives have diverged. Read More

Teaser

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe Van Huusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated. When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied. However, she soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but. Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.

Promo

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe Van Huusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated. When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied. However, she soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but. Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.

About the Book

In this debut thriller perfect for fans of BUNNY and YELLOWFACE, a young woman steps into her deceased twin’s influencer life, only to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe Van Huusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL). When Julie discovers Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.

Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.

Audiobook available, read by Yu-Li Alice Shen

Editorial Content for This Is Your Mother: A Memoir

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Norah Piehl

There is no shortage of memoirs (and novels, for that matter) tracing the often rocky landscape of mother-daughter relationships. But Erika J. Simpson's debut memoir blazes its own path through this familiar yet unpredictable realm. She skillfully utilizes several techniques to elevate what could have been a mournful tale of trauma and loss into something far more eloquent and emotionally affecting. Read More

Teaser

When Erika Simpson was growing up, her mother loomed large, almost biblical in her life. A daughter of sharecroppers and the middle child of 10, her origin story served as a Genesis. Her departure from home and a cheating husband, pursuing higher education along the way, a kind of Exodus. Her rules for survival, often repeated like the Ten Commandments, guided Erika’s own journey into adulthood. And the most important rule? Throughout her life, Sallie Carol preached the power of a testimony --- which often proved useful in talking her way out of a bind with bill collectors. But where does a mother’s story end and a daughter’s begin? In THIS IS YOUR MOTHER, Erika offers a joint recollection of their lives as they navigate the realities of destitution often left undiscussed.

Promo

When Erika Simpson was growing up, her mother loomed large, almost biblical in her life. A daughter of sharecroppers and the middle child of 10, her origin story served as a Genesis. Her departure from home and a cheating husband, pursuing higher education along the way, a kind of Exodus. Her rules for survival, often repeated like the Ten Commandments, guided Erika’s own journey into adulthood. And the most important rule? Throughout her life, Sallie Carol preached the power of a testimony --- which often proved useful in talking her way out of a bind with bill collectors. But where does a mother’s story end and a daughter’s begin? In THIS IS YOUR MOTHER, Erika offers a joint recollection of their lives as they navigate the realities of destitution often left undiscussed.

About the Book

From “a writer who’s absolutely going places” (Roxane Gay), a remarkable, inventive debut memoir about a mother-daughter relationship across cycles of poverty, separation and illness, exploring how we forge identity in the face of imminent loss.

When Erika Simpson was growing up, her mother loomed large, almost biblical in her life. A daughter of sharecroppers, middle child of 10, her origin story served as a Genesis. Her departure from home and a cheating husband, pursuing higher education along the way, a kind of Exodus. Her rules for survival, often repeated like the Ten Commandments, guided Erika’s own journey into adulthood. And the most important rule? Throughout her life, Sallie Carol preached the power of a testimony --- which often proved useful in talking her way out of a bind with bill collectors.

But where does a mother’s story end and a daughter’s begin? In this brave, illuminating memoir, Erika offers a joint recollection of their lives as they navigate the realities of destitution often left undiscussed. Her mother’s uncanny ability to endure Job-like trials and manifest New Testament-style miracles made her seem invincible. But while our parents may start out as gods in our lives, through her mother’s final months and fifth battle with cancer, Erika captures the moment you realize they are just people.

This gorgeously rendered story of a mother’s life through her daughter’s eyes weaves together a dual timeline, pulling inspiration from both scripture and pop culture as Erika moves through grief to a place of clarity where she can see who she is without her mom --- and because of her.

Audiobook available, read by Erika J. Simpson

Editorial Content for All the Mothers

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Norah Piehl

Domenica Ruta's second novel, ALL THE MOTHERS, opens with a woman at a major turning point. Or maybe it's rock bottom. Sandy is sitting on the toilet in a shared workplace bathroom, on the verge of tears, pumping milk for her infant daughter, and scrolling social media for clues to...something. Read More

Teaser

Sandy thought she was making her greatest mistake yet when she got unexpectedly pregnant in her mid-30s by a dating-app flop. Now, her baby Rosie is the love of her life. But trying to co-parent with her daughter’s dad, a wannabe rock star, is a challenge --- and seems to be veering into catastrophe territory when Sandy finds out through social media that her daughter has a half-sibling Sandy doesn’t know anything about. Enter her ex’s ex, Stephanie, the other mother. When the two women meet, they are shocked to learn how much they have in common. Now Sandy needs to figure out what her and Rosie’s family looks like with all these new additions. Could life in a “mommune” be the answer to her prayers, or just a new brand of chaos?

Promo

Sandy thought she was making her greatest mistake yet when she got unexpectedly pregnant in her mid-30s by a dating-app flop. Now, her baby Rosie is the love of her life. But trying to co-parent with her daughter’s dad, a wannabe rock star, is a challenge --- and seems to be veering into catastrophe territory when Sandy finds out through social media that her daughter has a half-sibling Sandy doesn’t know anything about. Enter her ex’s ex, Stephanie, the other mother. When the two women meet, they are shocked to learn how much they have in common. Now Sandy needs to figure out what her and Rosie’s family looks like with all these new additions. Could life in a “mommune” be the answer to her prayers, or just a new brand of chaos?

About the Book

From New York Times bestselling author Domenica Ruta comes a heartfelt, hilarious novel about a single mom reimagining what the perfect family can look like.

Sandy thought she was making her greatest mistake yet when she got unexpectedly pregnant in her mid-30s by a dating-app flop. Now, her baby Rosie is the love of her life, but trying to co-parent with her daughter’s dad, a wannabe rock star, is a challenge --- and seems to be veering into catastrophe territory when Sandy finds out through social media that her daughter has a half-sibling Sandy doesn’t know anything about.

Enter her ex’s ex, Stephanie, the other mother. Sandy is prepared to hate her, but when the two women meet, they are shocked to learn how much they have in common beyond the deadbeat father their children share. Now Sandy needs to figure out what her and Rosie’s family looks like with all these new additions. Could life in a “mommune” be the answer to her prayers, or just a new brand of chaos?

In this winning story of family both born and chosen, Sandy is about to discover that when nothing goes as planned, the best things become possible.

Audiobook available, read by Patricia Santomasso

Editorial Content for Show, Don't Tell: A Writer, Her Teacher, and the Power of Sharing Our Stories

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Pauline Finch

It’s not often that I find the lack of previous experience with an author a disadvantage when reading or commenting on a new release. This time I did, even though SHOW, DON’T TELL by New York Times bestselling author Kristine Gasbarre really tries to hold up its end. Read More

Teaser

Mrs. Korthaus has always been ahead of her time --- an educator who inspired her students to dream bigger, think deeper, and live boldly. For decades, she led an English classroom with caring and conviction, but it’s not until she’s retired, and then fighting cancer, that she begins to share her story: long ago marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., building a corporate career, and overcoming heartbreak before “accidentally” becoming a teacher and forever shaping the lives of countless young adults --- including bestselling author Kristine Gasbarre. In SHOW, DON'T TELL, Kristine reflects on her 30-year friendship with this extraordinary teacher who shaped her life so significantly.

Promo

Mrs. Korthaus has always been ahead of her time --- an educator who inspired her students to dream bigger, think deeper, and live boldly. For decades, she led an English classroom with caring and conviction, but it’s not until she’s retired, and then fighting cancer, that she begins to share her story: long ago marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., building a corporate career, and overcoming heartbreak before “accidentally” becoming a teacher and forever shaping the lives of countless young adults --- including bestselling author Kristine Gasbarre. In SHOW, DON'T TELL, Kristine reflects on her 30-year friendship with this extraordinary teacher who shaped her life so significantly.

About the Book

From the #1 New York Times bestselling writer and author of HOW TO LOVE AN AMERICAN MAN comes a memoir that inspires us to remember the special teachers in our lives and reflect on the change we create when we share our stories.

Mrs. Korthaus has always been ahead of her time --- an educator who inspired her students to dream bigger, think deeper, and live boldly. For decades, she led an English classroom with caring and conviction, but it’s not until she’s retired, and then fighting cancer, that she begins to share her story: long ago marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., building a corporate career, and overcoming heartbreak before “accidentally” becoming a teacher and forever shaping the lives of countless young adults --- including bestselling author Kristine Gasbarre.

In SHOW, DON'T TELL, Kristine reflects on her 30-year friendship with this extraordinary teacher who shaped her life so significantly. She shares the profound lessons Mrs. Korthaus taught her and other students on self-discovery, resilience, strength, and showing up fully for life. It shines a spotlight on the power of sharing our lives and our stories with each other as it moves between tragedy, awe, and the heartwarming relationship forged over decades between two women from different generations. Above all, it delivers a moving reminder about the elders who have believed in us --- and a call to thank them for the lives they influenced us to lead.

Audiobook available, read by Kristine Gasbarre

May 9, 2025

Wow, what a week! I was at author programs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, two of which were in New York City, and there was a celebration of Jesse Kornbluth’s life (also in the city) on Thursday night.

Monday night kicked things off with a fun event at NeueHouse Madison Square in the city, where I was joined by Tom and Francesca, along with my friends Beverley and Annmarie. The publisher Zando hosted “An Evening with Gillian Flynn & Friends” in celebration of their Gillian Flynn Books imprint. Yes, the Gillian Flynn, who wrote GONE GIRL.

Which of the following titles releasing in paperback in May have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.

May 9, 2025, 507 voters

May 9, 2025 - May 23, 2025

Here are reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for the contest period of May 9 - May 23.

Week of May 26, 2025

Paperback releases for the week of May 26th include CLETE, the 24th installment in James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux series, which brings Dave’s partner and friend, Clete Purcel, to the forefront for the first time as Clete and Dave attempt to stop ruthless smugglers of a dangerous new drug; FIRST FROST, the gripping 20th entry in Craig Johnson's series featuring Walt Longmire, who stands between the crossfire of good and evil, law and anarchy, and compassion and cruelty at two pivotal stages in his life; HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Joyce Maynard's beloved novel, COUNT THE WAYS --- a complex story of three generations of a family and its remarkable, resilient, indomitable matriarch, Eleanor; and THE WIDE WIDE SEA by Hampton Sides, an epic account of the most momentous voyage of the Age of Exploration, which culminated in Captain James Cook’s death in Hawaii and left a complex and controversial legacy still debated to this day.

We wrap up this year’s Mother’s Day Author Blog series with Sharon Kurtzman, whose debut novel, THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA, releases on August 19th and is inspired by the experiences of her own family after the Holocaust. Starting at the age of eight, when she moved to a new town, Sharon has such fond memories of going to the library with her parents and older brother. She is forever grateful to her mother for introducing her to the joys of reading and reminding her that, no matter where you are, the library always will be your home away from home.

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