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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
January 4, 2008
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Happy New Year!
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The holidays were wonderful. I had simple goals: Make some great memories, try to think about how much exercise each holiday treat would mean BEFORE I ate it, get all knitting projects ON needles finished, read as much as I can and wrap my head around the concept that the holiday card is just as lovely coming out as a New Year's card as it is at Christmas. I'm happy to report that the family told me the memories were made; many photos were taken; I only slightly overdid the treats; Jeanne and Brittany at Knitting Addiction in Southern Shores were true elves, giving me advice on all my knitting projects, thus all lingering ones are off needles and new ones are underway; a number of great books were read (more on that in a bit) and the New Year's card with the photo we shot on Christmas Day at the beach will go out this weekend.
I still am on the Outer Banks, where the weather is sunny but cold. It's something when you spend New Year's Day walking barefoot on the beach, and the following day you are watching ice form on the Sound with ducks sitting on top of it. This is the longest time that I have spent down here, and it's been my favorite trip. My husband and sons left Tuesday, leaving me to some much-needed quiet time for writing, reading and working. I never indulged myself like this before, though I have thought about it in the past. I will do this again! Yesterday I spent time with Jamie Layton, who is the manager of the Duck's Cottage bookstore in Duck. We had a lovely lunch at the Blue Point Grill, and then I browsed her store chatting up books. While I think I know a lot about books when we were talking, I was in awe of how many books she mentioned that were not on my radar, thus I was scribbling a list as we talked.
As for predictions for 2008, here's one: this is going to be a great year for women's fiction. In fact I was quoted saying just that in USA Today yesterday. After years where Chick Lit dominated the market for women, I already have read some excellent women's fiction titles that I see casting a real direction for this year. The following are a few that I read in December and this week that illustrate this: THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE by Julie Buxbaum (January 29th), FIREFLY LANE by Kristin Hannah (February 5th), SOUVENIER by Therese Fowler (February 12th), CHANGE OF HEART by Jodi Picoult (March 4th), THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW by Elizabeth Noble (April 8th) and STONE CREEK by Victoria Lustbader (May 27th). Next upon my reading pile is DEEP DISH by Mary Kay Andrews (February 26th). For the record there is a new Sophie Kinsella, REMEMBER ME?, coming in February that I look forward to. For me Sophie is her own genre.
While it's not women's fiction --- in fact it's more women's REALITY --- another book that I heartily recommend is HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD by Charla Krupp. Charla and I met almost 30 years ago my first summer at Conde Nast. She always had a ready smile and a clever comment as well as contagious enthusiasm. Confession here: while I spent 17 years at a beauty/fashion magazine, I never really grasped beauty tips, though the concept of cucumber slices on my eyes always intrigued me. So since I am getting...um....older....um....but still feel 27, I definitely wanted to see what was inside these pages. Imagine my surprise when I, who always flipped through the beauty pages in the magazines, found myself reading this book --- and enjoying it. Here's what I love. Charla's writing is real and from the heart. Her ideas make sense, and I even have tried some. While many beauty folks recommend techniques that are time consuming, laborious and expensive, Charla's ideas are just plain smart, do-able and affordable. Wondering about how to look 10 years younger, 10 pounds thinner and 10 times better? Then this is the book you want to read. Here is a link to her website that will give you a great overview of it.
We are kicking off 2008 with two new One to Watch features. Our first pair of authors is Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack, whose latest book, A VERSION OF THE TRUTH, is now in stores. This is a funny, wise and utterly original novel about friendship, love, wildlife and other forces of nature. We have 10 copies of A VERSION OF THE TRUTH to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, January 11th.
Award-winning Israeli author Ron Leshem is the focus of our second new One to Watch feature. In BEAUFORT, which was translated into English by Evan Fallenberg and is now in stores, Leshem weaves an unforgettable portrait of the horror and absurdity of war through the eyes of an Israeli troop. We have 10 copies of BEAUFORT to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, January 11th.
We have received very positive responses to Steve Berry’s THE VENETIAN BETRAYAL from our advance readers. You can read their comments here.
As we anticipate many exciting books this year, we also anticipate an exciting year for books into movies. With the likes of Marley & Me, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Inkheart and the second installment of The Chronicles of Narnia among the many films scheduled to be released in the months ahead, this year is shaping up to be a fantastic one for movies based on books. January and February boast a couple of highly anticipated films of the blockbuster variety, as well as some thought-provoking, spine-tingling, brow-raising and heart-wrenching flicks that will start ’08 off with a bang. Click here to see our Books into Movies feature for January and February.
Here's to a wonderful 2008. My resolution: I will read 50 pages of a book. If it has not captured me, I will move on. There are too many books on my pile to linger longer. May YOUR resolutions be kept and may you find time to read all the books you want to. For humor, I wrote a blog post about saying Happy New Year. Take a look and feel free to give me your feedback on this burning topic. Read on...
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
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Click here to see our Books into Movies feature for January and February.
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Kevin O'Brien, Author of ONE LAST SCREAM
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The author of eight novels, Kevin O'Brien is best known for his contributions to the thriller genre, such as THE NEXT TO DIE, LEFT FOR DEAD, KILLING SPREE and his most recent release, ONE LAST SCREAM. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, O'Brien talks about what inspired the concept behind his latest chilling tale and discusses how he gave the book's details such an air of authenticity regarding his characters' backgrounds and behavior. He also explains why he turned to writing thrillers after publishing two works of mainstream fiction, shares advice with aspiring writers and names some of the authors who have influenced his own work over the years.
ONE LAST SCREAM by Kevin O’Brien (Thriller)
Amelia Faraday is beautiful, smart and a walking disaster. Suffering from blackouts, she also suffers from something worse --- the feeling that she is personally involved in a series of deaths. Now as a new series of murders begins, and she continues to suffer from blackouts, Amelia is left wondering if she is a cold-blooded killer --- or a pawn in a deadly game that is only just beginning. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read a review of ONE LAST SCREAM.
-Click here to read an excerpt from ONE LAST SCREAM.
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Click here to read our interview with Kevin O'Brien.
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Markus Zusak, Author of THE BOOK THIEF
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Recently released in paperback, Markus Zusak's latest novel, THE BOOK THIEF, has garnered much critical acclaim, several awards and has earned spots on many international bestseller lists. Bookreporter.com's Mary Dubbs recently sat down with the author to discuss the motivations behind many of the book's unique and innovative elements, as well as some of the real-life experiences that fueled its plot and characters. In this interview, Zusak also describes the reception that THE BOOK THIEF received from readers of all ages and backgrounds, reveals his disbelief over its unexpected success, and shares details about an upcoming project due to be published later this year.
THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak (Historical Fiction)
Living in Germany during World War II, young Liesel Meminger scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist --- books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids. Reviewed by Brian Farrey.
-Click here to read a review of THE BOOK THIEF.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE BOOK THIEF.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for THE BOOK THIEF.
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Click here to read our interview with Markus Zusak.
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Featured One to Watch Author: Eli Gottlieb, Author of NOW YOU SEE HIM
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Eli Gottlieb's THE BOY WHO WENT AWAY won the prestigious Rome Prize and the 1998 McKitterick Prize from the British Society of Authors. In NOW YOU SEE HIM, which will be in stores on January 22nd, Gottlieb takes the reader into the human psyche with extraordinarily luxuriant and evocative prose. After the shocking deaths of writer Rob Castor and his girlfriend, Rob's childhood best friend is forced to reevaluate his own life --- opening a fault line beneath him.
-Click here to read Eli Gottlieb's bio.
-Click here to read critical praise for NOW YOU SEE HIM.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about NOW YOU SEE HIM:
His name was Rob Castor. Quite possibly, you've heard of him. He became a minor cult celebrity in his early twenties for writing a book of darkly pitch-perfect stories set in a stupid upstate New York town. About a dozen years later, he murdered his writer-girlfriend and committed suicide. Their deaths begin a wrenching and enthrallingly suspenseful story that mines the explosive terrains of love, loyalty, envy and deception.
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Click here to read more about Eli Gottlieb and NOW YOU SEE HIM.
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New Featured One to Watch Authors: Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack, Authors of A VERSION OF THE TRUTH |
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In LITERACY AND LONGING IN L.A., authors Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack captivated readers with a brilliantly imagined first novel. In their new book, A VERSION OF THE TRUTH (which is now available in stores), Kaufman and Mack introduce a character you’ll never forget: Cassie Shaw, an irrepressible young woman who reinvents herself in a funny, wise and utterly original story about friendship, love, wildlife and other forces of nature.
We have 10 copies of A VERSION OF THE TRUTH to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, January 11th.
-Click here to read Jennifer Kaufman's bio.
-Click here to read Karen Mack's bio.
-Visit the book's official website, www.AVersionOfTheTruth.com.
More about A VERSION OF THE TRUTH:
In the wilds of Topanga Canyon, Cassie Shaw has always felt right at home in the midst of nature, but everywhere else, life seems to be a little harder. At the age of 30, newly single and without a college degree, Cassie is in serious need of a paycheck. So in a desperate move, she lies on her resume when applying for an office job at an elite university. When she finds herself employed by two eccentric professors, Cassie begins to reinvent herself --- and soon encounters some very unexpected consequences.
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Click here to read more about Jennifer Kaufman, Karen Mack and A VERSION OF THE TRUTH.
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New Featured One to Watch Author: Ron Leshem, Author of BEAUFORT
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Ron Leshem’s debut novel, BEAUFORT, is an international literary sensation. In 2006 it was the recipient of the Sapir Prize, one of Israel’s most respected awards for literature, and the movie adaptation of the book has been critically acclaimed at film festivals worldwide. Translated by Evan Fallenberg and now in stores, BEAUFORT is a powerful, visceral portrait of the horror, camaraderie and absurdity of war.
We have 10 copies of BEAUFORT to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, January 11th.
-Click here to read Ron Leshem’s bio.
More about BEAUFORT:
Beaufort. To the handful of Israeli soldiers occupying the ancient crusader fortress, it is a little slice of hell. All around them, tension crackles in the air. And the threat of death is constant. But in their stony haven, Erez and his soldiers have created their own little world, their own rules, their own language. Until, in the final days of the occupation, Erez and his squad of young soldiers are given one last order: a mission that will shatter all remaining illusions --- and stand as a testament to the universal, gut-wrenching futility of war.
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Click here to read more about Ron Leshem and BEAUFORT.
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Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Beverly Barton, Author of THE MURDER GAME
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New York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton has written over 50 contemporary romance novels. Her new thriller, THE MURDER GAME, will be available in stores on February 5th. In this terrifying follow-up to THE DYING GAME, private investigator Griffin Powell and FBI agent Nicole Baxter team up again to stop a serial killer playing a very dangerous game.
-Click here to read fast facts about Beverly Barton.
-Click here to read Beverly Barton’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.BeverlyBarton.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about THE MURDER GAME:
The game is simple. He is the Hunter. They are the Prey. He gives them a chance to escape. To run. To hide. To outsmart him. But eventually, he catches them. And that’s when the game gets really terrifying...
Private investigator Griffin Powell and FBI agent Nicole Baxter know a lot about serial killers --- they took one down together. But this new killer is as sadistic as they’ve ever seen. He likes his little games, and he especially likes forcing Nic and Griff to play along.
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Click here to read more about Beverly Barton and THE MURDER GAME.
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Now in Stores: SILENT IN THE SANCTUARY by Deanna Raybourn
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Whodunit? The butler in the kitchen? The maid in the parlor? The footman in the stables? It isn’t a game of Clue, but the sleuthing fun is still the same in Deanna Raybourn’s second Victorian-era mystery, a January Book Sense pick, SILENT IN THE SANCTUARY.
Summoned home to Sussex by their father, Lady Julia Grey and her delightfully eccentric brothers discover that a murderer roams the snowbound, ancient cloisters. So does the enigmatic Nicholas Brisbane, who helped Julia unmask her husband’s killer and dallied with her heart in SILENT IN THE GRAVE.
Kirkus (starred review) said SILENT IN THE SANCTUARY has “a sassy heroine and a masterful, secretive hero.” From Publishers Weekly: "...a delightfully odd collection of characters and deft period details produce a rich and funny read."
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Click here to read more about SILENT IN THE SANCTUARY.
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Now Available in Paperback: KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil, by Deborah Rodriguez and Kristin Ohlson
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Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan with nothing but a desire to help and a degree in cosmetology. Once there, she joined the recently established Kabul Beauty School, where she not only empowered her students with a new sense of autonomy but also made some of the closest friends of her life. All of these women bring their stories to the Kabul Beauty School, where, along with Rodriguez herself, they learn the art of perms, of friendship and freedom. |
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Click here to read more about KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL.
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Now in Stores: THE SIXTH FORM by Tom Dolby |
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Tom Dolby, the acclaimed, bestselling author of THE TROUBLE BOY, presents an extraordinary new novel --- a sensitive coming of age story and a compelling work of suspense that explores the price of innocence betrayed and the complexities of personal truth. |
Click here to read more about THE SIXTH FORM.
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Now in Stores: ELIJAH: The Nightwalkers, Book Three by Jacquelyn Frank |
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The acclaimed and captivating Nightwalkers series continues! They are called the Demons, one of the elusive Nightwalker races living in shadow and struggling for survival against their human enemies. Their proudest warrior is Elijah, a man who bends for nothing and no one...until one woman brings him to his knees.
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Click here to read more about ELIJAH.
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This Week's Reviews
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LAST CALL by James Grippando (Thriller)
James Grippando offers readers a multi-layered suspense novel starring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck, his best friend Theo Knight and Knight’s Uncle Cy. The love interests add a deeper dimension to these already well-fleshed-out characters caught in a maze of corruption, a jailbreak and blackmail. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
-Click here to read an excerpt from LAST CALL.
BORN STANDING UP: A Comic’s Life by Steve Martin (Memoir)
Warning: if you only know Steve Martin as the Wild and Crazy Guy from “Saturday Night Live,” or as the popular star of Hollywood comedies, be prepared to wrestle your envy at discovering yet another of his multiple talents: writing. In BORN STANDING UP, Martin sets out to examine the roots and flowering of his hugely successful standup career. Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol.
DIARY OF A BAD YEAR by J. M. Coetzee (Fiction)
With three narratives appearing on each page, J. M. Coetzee portrays the waning of one life and the emergence of another through a story about how much (and how little) people can impact each other. Accompanying the fiction is a series of short essays, a portal into the mind of the author and the protagonist. Reviewed by Max Falkowitz.
THE MAN WHO CREATED SHERLOCK HOLMES: The Life and Times of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by Andrew Lycett (Biography)
Have you ever wondered how Sherlock Holmes sprang to life? Or about the man behind the iconic detective? What shaped the life of the author who shaped this ascetic man? Would you like to know where his ideas came from? Elementary! Read this book. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
GODS BEHAVING BADLY by Marie Phillips (Fiction)
In Marie Phillips's debut novel, the Greek gods of Olympus are alive and well and living in a run-down house in London. Relying on equal parts classic lore and contemporary wit, GODS BEHAVING BADLY is a delightfully diverting romp through mythology and modern life alike. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
HALF THE BLOOD OF BROOKLYN by Charlie Huston (Hard-Boiled Fiction)
Vampire P.I. Joe Pitt returns in his third novel, written by Edgar-nominated author Charlie Huston. New York is divided up by vampire clans, but the balance of power is threatened as Brooklyn clans move into Manhattan. Pitt must deal with deadly crosses and double crosses while trying to save the woman he loves. Reviewed by Tom Callahan.
CORMAC: The Tale of a Dog Gone Missing by Sonny Brewer (Fiction)
Cormac, a Golden Retriever who has always been afraid of thunderstorms and lightning flashes, runs away one stormy night while his master is away. His owner, devastated by Cormac’s disappearance and trying to juggle a family, a book tour and writing his new novel, becomes determined to solve the “dog-napping” case. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
JANE BOLEYN: The True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford by Julia Fox (Biography)
Julia Fox's debut is the fascinating biography of Jane Boleyn, the sister-in-law of Queen Anne Boleyn and lady-in-waiting to five of King Henry VIII’s queens. Fox, a historian, explores this overlooked and misunderstood figure who was often at the center of royal scandal. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
AND JUSTICE FOR SOME: An Expose of the Lawyers and Judges Who Let Dangerous Criminals Go Free by Wendy Murphy (Current Affairs)
When Wendy Murphy was a young prosecutor, she came to the conclusion that the deck is stacked in favor of criminal defendants. In her first book, Murphy guides readers through one horror story after another about judges and lawyers who end up letting the worst offenders go free. Reviewed by Marge Fletcher.
DEADLY BELOVED by Max Allan Collins (Mystery)
A woman has killed both her husband and the blonde prostitute with whom he was hooking up. But where the cops might see an open-and-shut case, private eye Michael Tree --- Ms. Michael Tree --- sees a conspiracy. Based on the longest-running private-eye comic book series of all time, DEADLY BELOVED brings readers an all-new adventure of the groundbreaking female P.I. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
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Read this week's reviews here.
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Poll and Question of the Week: Keeping and Giving Away Books You've Read
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Poll:
Do you keep your books after you read them?
I keep them all.
I keep some.
I do not keep them.
I do not buy books.
If you give books away, what do you do with them?
Give them to friends or family
Donate them to the library
Donate them to charity
Other
I do not give books away.
-Click here to answer our poll.
Question:
If you have to pick FIVE books from your shelves that define you, what would they be?
-Click here to answer our question of the week.
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Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading --- THREE Prizes
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Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.
This week we have three great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of BLASPHEMY by Douglas Preston, PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich and THE WINTER ROSE by Jennifer Donnelly. Tell us what you are reading and rate the titles 1-5 by noon on January 18th to ensure that you are in the running to win these books.
Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on January 18th.
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Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.
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As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.
Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the Write to Us page. If you would like to reach me, please write [email protected]. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.
Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by January 31, 2008 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: THE APPEAL by John Grisham, DUMA KEY by Stephen King, PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich, THE SECRET BETWEEN US by Barbara Delinsky and THE WINTER ROSE by Jennifer Donnelly. Danica from Portage, IN was last month's newsletter winner. She won THE DARKEST EVENING OF THE YEAR by Dean Koontz, LAST CALL by James Grippando, T IS FOR TRESPASS by Sue Grafton, THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HERE by Cecelia Ahearn and WATCHMAN by Ian Rankin.
Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, FaithfulReader.com, AuthorYellowPages.com, Teenreads.com, and Kidsreads.com.
The Book Report Network
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