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November 27, 2013

Bookreporter.com Newsletter November 27, 2013
Happy Thanksgiving!

Here come the holidays! It’s been a “compressed week” at Bookreporter.com as our usual five-day schedule was slotted into 2.5 days. That meant we all typed a lot faster; actually, we did everything a lot faster. It got me in training for making Thanksgiving dinner when I will be chopping chopping chopping all afternoon. Realizing that we have less shopping days between now and Christmas, I think that everything in December will be moving faster than usual. And for those who are celebrating Hanukkah with turkey this year, the next time that Hanukkah and Thanksgiving fall on the same day will be in 75,000 years. I guess retailers do not need to plan ahead for repeating this.

We picked up our fresh turkey, as in it was killed on Saturday morning and we picked it up Saturday afternoon. It was accompanied by a note of what it ate since it was raised and where it roamed. I am not sure if we should now be hosting a wake and funeral, or making dinner. I would make a terrible chicken and livestock farmer! Better that I write about books.

With that in mind, I just finished reading a delightful book that amusingly has a fowl-themed heroine that I loved --- THE HEN WHO DREAMED SHE COULD FLY by Sun-mi Hwang. It’s a slim novel that packs a powerful story. It’s been compared to both ANIMAL FARM and CHARLOTTE’S WEB, and with good reason. Originally published in South Korea, it’s sold over 2,000,000 copies worldwide before being published here. I knew halfway through it would be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Pick it up now, and you will have some nice reading these next weeks in between holiday-frenzied errands and cooking. It’s the kind of book you can read between basting the turkeys and plucking cookie trays from the oven. We have a review from Josh Mallory, who praises the book as “[b]eautifully and simply written and “a reflection on society, nature and the world at large.”

This Saturday, November 30th is Small Business Saturday, a chance to support small businesses around the country, including indie bookstores. With this in mind, Indies First was conceptualized by author Sherman Alexie as a way for authors to support their local independent bookstores. (Here's his letter that started Indies First.) A variety of authors and illustrators will be participating in Indies First. Here is a list of stores mapped out, listed by state and listed alphabetically by store, with which authors will be volunteering at each store. Authors include the aforementioned Alexie, Garth Stein, Ann Patchett, Luis Alberto Urrea, Adam Johnson (who won the Pulitzer this year) and Diana Gabaldon --- and many, many more! Shop at an indie store this weekend, and you may be hand sold a purchase by an author; we love this idea and hope it becomes an annual event!

My friend Cathy told me that her family is simplifying gift giving this year by giving each other books. I was asked for some suggestions for her sister. I love this idea as well, and I am happy to make suggestions for her.

For those of you holiday shopping, please keep in mind that Bookreporter.com earns a tiny commission fee when you shop online via our site with Amazon, BN.com and IndieBound. If you click on these links, or any link on Bookreporter.com, before you start your shopping, we would appreciate it. Small way to support us!

We have a report from Dr. Miriam Klein Kassenoff on Miami Book Fair International, which celebrated its 30th year last week. Miriam has attended the Fair for 11 years and pronounced it to be “fabulous” this year. She kicked off her MBFI time by attending an “Evenings With…” event featuring Joe Scarborough, who was joined by Mika Brzezinski. Miriam commented that “both were wonderful. It was a very high energy evening. Mika is as beautiful off camera as on and so amusing with a great sense of humor, and I love Joe S.!!!” She spent both days of the Fair in the Chapman Auditorium where she had “a good aisle seat in Row 3,” dashing out only to introduce Richard Breitman, author of FDR AND THE JEWS in another room. Breitman was a very good speaker and very interesting author.

She went on to say, “All authors who spoke in the Chapman Auditorium were the best that I have heard. No one
just read from their book --- all explained in a clever manner how and why they wrote their works and all were full of personality and charm. It was easy for me to sit there from 10-6 on Saturday and Sunday. For the future, I would love to see more of the same! Doris Kearns Goodwin was so interesting in her re-telling of back story historical information. I fell in love with Thomas Cahill. What a clever, interesting man! Scott Turow has a great sense of humor. My biggest surprise --- Mitch Albom, as he is very funny, has a great sense of humor and is a good storyteller. They had engaged in great conversations with the audience. Kudos to Mitch Kaplan and the other Fair organizers! I missed seeing you this year in your usual seat, Carol!” Thanks to Miriam for the commentary, and I hope to get back to the Book Fair next year!

Adriana Trigiani
wraps up her Valentine trilogy with her latest novel, THE SUPREME MACARONI COMPANY. Valentine Roncalli is marrying Gianluca Vechiarelli, the love of her life. However, she hasn't truly considered the cultural and age differences between an American businesswoman and a native Italian who's 18 years her senior. The repercussions lead to a rollercoaster love story with a powerful emotional payoff. Terry Miller Shannon has our review and says, “THE SUPREME MACARONI COMPANY is a diverting read, ultimately delivering a powerful emotional punch, enhanced by Adriana Trigiani's charming writing style…. [E]ven as a behind-the-times Valentine newbie, I enjoyed this book (it’s so easy to see why Trigiani is a bestselling author), particularly the depictions of Valentine's relatives, which are genius: hilarious and poignant.” We also posted a guide for the book on ReadingGroupGuides.com, which you can see here. A friend told me last night that she wants to turn some of her large Italian family drama over to Adriana to fictionalize. That is when you know an author has made a statement with what she writes; people are ready to give her source material!

Last week, we announced CITY OF LOST DREAMS, the sequel to Magnus Flyte’s CITY OF DARK MAGIC, as our latest Paperback Spotlight title. We now have our review from Amy Gwiazdowski, who writes, “As I said about the first book in this series, just forget all reality and go with it. It’s strange but also oddly entertaining at the same time…. If you liked CITY OF DARK MAGIC, you’ll probably be willing to go on another trip with Sarah and the strange gang she’s assembled. Be prepared for the outlandish, and be entertained.” Click here for more about the book.

We’ve been featuring NO ESCAPE in our Romantic Suspense Author Spotlight. Its author, bestseller Mary Burton, is currently the Florida Writers Association’s reigning "Person of Renown" and recently kicked off her tenure at their annual conference. Author and Bookreporter.com contributor Melody Dean Dimick was lucky enough to be in attendance and reports on her experience there. We also have a review of NO ESCAPE from Melody, who raves, “Sensory details, irresistible characters and a riveting plot guarantee that Mary Burton will ride to the top of the bestseller list with NO ESCAPE.”

Our Holiday Cheer contests are going strong. On select days this holiday season, we’re posting a number of 24-hour contests that will give you the opportunity to win some fabulous books. As always, we’ll be sending our special Holiday Cheer newsletter on the days when there are contests. If you would like to sign up for these email alerts, click here. This week, we gave away DUKE: A Life of Duke Ellington by Terry Teachout and WHEELMEN: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever by Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell. Next week’s prize books will be THE ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS by Jan-Philipp Sendker, CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS: The Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wiggs and CHRISTMAS BLISS by Mary Kay Andrews. Our first giveaway of the week will go live on Tuesday, December 3rd at noon ET. You can see the complete list of Holiday Cheer titles here, which are perfect for gift giving and gift receiving!

We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, reviews that we’ve posted on our Teenreads.com site. This month’s selections are LOUD AWAKE AND LOST by Adele Griffin, ANGEL DE LA LUNA AND THE 5TH GLORIOUS MYSTERY by M. Evelina Galang and KETCHUP CLOUDS by Annabel Pitcher. Click here to see more YA books we recommend you read.

There’s one more week left to answer our latest poll, which asks about your holiday shopping plans. When are you planning to start this year? And if you’re giving books as presents, when exactly will you shop for them? Please let us know by voting in our poll, which will be open until Friday, December 6th at noon ET.

Also, please let us know what you’re reading in our Word of Mouth contest, and you’ll have a chance to win a copy of the aforementioned THE SUPREME MACARONI COMPANY by Adriana Trigiani, along with KING AND MAXWELL by David Baldacci and SOMEONE ELSE’S LOVE STORY by Joshilyn Jackson. All you have to do is fill out the form found on this page by Friday, December 6th at noon ET.

Tom is picking up Cory at college this afternoon, and he will be home for the first time since Columbus Day. We’ve had dinner with him twice in between, but I am looking forward to just hanging out with him here and having the hustle/bustle of him and his friends back around the house. The “man cave” has been cleaned in anticipation of that; not that they would care, but I do! My parents, a girlfriend and her twin daughters, and a college student I know who is not headed home to California for the holiday will be here for dinner tomorrow. REALLY looking forward to it. I love to cook and entertain. Tom remarked that half of those at the table will be under 24 years old, which will be fun.


Here’s wishing you all the happiest of Thanksgivings. We give thanks for you. I am fully aware that your reading and sharing Bookreporter.com ensures that I get to have the best job I could dream of. And I do not take this lightly. For those of you celebrating Hanukkah, here’s to great joy in the festivities. To all, enjoy a chance to kick it back a notch….with a book. Read on, and we will see you next Friday!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

Now in Stores: THE SUPREME MACARONI COMPANY by Adriana Trigiani

THE SUPREME MACARONI COMPANY by Adriana Trigiani (Fiction)
In this conclusion to Adriana Trigiani's Valentine trilogy, Valentine Roncalli is marrying Gianluca Vechiarelli, the love of her life. However, she hasn't truly considered the cultural and age differences between an American businesswoman and a native Italian who's 18 years her senior. The repercussions lead to a rollercoaster love story with a powerful emotional payoff. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here for the reading group guide.

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: CROSS MY HEART by James Patterson

CROSS MY HEART by James Patterson (Thriller)
Detective Alex Cross is a family man at heart --- nothing matters more to him than his children, his grandmother, and his wife Bree. His love of his family is his anchor, and gives him the strength to confront evil in his work. One man knows this deeply, and uses Alex's strength as a weapon against him. When the ones Cross loves are in danger, he will do anything to protect them. If he does anything to protect them, they will die. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

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

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: A CHRISTMAS HOPE by Anne Perry

A CHRISTMAS HOPE by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
Claudine Burroughs dreads the holiday season for forcing her to face how empty her life has become. That all changes in the blink of an eye when a young streetwalker is brought to an exclusive holiday party Claudine is attending and then is allegedly murdered by a charming poet she had befriended. Can she save him from the gallows before Christmas? Reviewed by Ray Palen.

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

Click here to read a review.
Mary Burton, Author of NO ESCAPE, Shares Secrets of Her Success

Mary Burton is the author of numerous novels and a recipient of the prestigious RITA Award from the Romance Writers of America. Her latest book, NO ESCAPE, is a romantic thriller that follows psychologist Jolene Granger, who is called in to evaluate serial killer Harvey Lee Smith alongside her ex-husband, Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, in order to catch Harvey’s protégé --- who is still very much at large.

Burton is also currently the Florida Writers Association's reigning "Person of Renown," and kicked off her tenure at their annual conference in October. Bookreporter.com’s Melody Dean Dimick was lucky enough to be in attendance and reports on her experience there. Apparently, Burton was as effervescent in person as she is on the page. She shared with the conference attendees some of the secrets to her literary success, including the ins and outs of her writing process (Hint: Revise, revise, revise!), as well as why it’s so important --- and apt --- for each of her books to be a “labor of love.”

NO ESCAPE by Mary Burton (Romantic Suspense)
Everything about the investigation into serial killer Harvey Lee Smith is unnerving Jolene Granger, the psychologist called in to evaluate him --- from Harvey's fascination with her to the fact that she's working alongside Texas Ranger Brody Winchester, her ex-husband. Meanwhile, Harvey's protégé is growing bolder and more vicious every day. And soon the trail of shallow graves will lead them to the last place Jo expected, and to the most terrifying truth of all. Reviewed by Melody Dean Dimick.

-Click here to read a review.
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Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read Mary Burton’s bio.
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Click here to visit Mary Burton’s official website.
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Click here to read more about Mary Burton on the publisher’s website.
-Connect with Mary Burton on
Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
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Click here to read more in our Romantic Suspense Author Spotlight.

Click here to read Melody Dean Dimick’s article on the secrets of Mary Burton’s success.
Paperback Spotlight: CITY OF LOST DREAMS by Magnus Flyte

CITY OF LOST DREAMS by Magnus Flyte (Fantasy)
In this action-packed sequel to CITY OF DARK MAGIC, we find musicologist Sarah Weston in Vienna in search of a cure for her friend Pollina, who is now gravely ill and who may not have much time left. Meanwhile, Nicolas Pertusato, in London in search of an ancient alchemical cure for the girl, discovers an old enemy is one step ahead of him. In Prague, Prince Max tries to unravel the strange reappearance of a long-dead saint while being pursued by a seductive red-headed historian with dark motives of her own.


In the city of Beethoven, Mozart and Freud, Sarah becomes the target in a deadly web of intrigue that involves a scientist on the run, stolen art, seductive pastries, a few surprises from long-dead alchemists, a distractingly attractive horseman who's more than a little bloodthirsty, and a trail of secrets and lies. But nothing will be more dangerous than the brilliant and vindictive villain who seeks to bend time itself. Sarah must travel deep into an ancient mystery to save the people she loves.

-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read Magnus Flyte's bio.
-Click here to visit Magnus Flyte’s official website.
-Connect with Magnus Flyte on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
Now in Stores: THE MEN WHO UNITED THE STATES by Simon Winchester

THE MEN WHO UNITED THE STATES: America's Explorers, Inventors, Eccentrics and Mavericks, and the Creation of One Nation, Indivisible by Simon Winchester (History)
How did America become “one nation, indivisible”? What unified a growing number of disparate states into the modern country we recognize today? To answer these questions, Simon Winchester follows in the footsteps of America’s most essential explorers, thinkers and innovators. Throughout, he ponders whether the historic work of uniting the States has succeeded, and to what degree. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

-Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: THE HEART OF EVERYTHING THAT IS by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

THE HEART OF EVERYTHING THAT IS: The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin (History)
The great Oglala Sioux chief Red Cloud was the only Plains Indian to defeat the United States Army in a war, forcing the American government to sue for peace in a conflict named for him. At the peak of their chief’s powers, the Sioux could claim control of one-fifth of the contiguous United States. But unlike Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, or Geronimo, the fog of history has left Red Cloud strangely obscured. Now his incredible story can finally be told. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

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Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read a review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: THE HEN WHO DREAMED SHE COULD FLY by Sun-mi Hwang
THE HEN WHO DREAMED SHE COULD FLY by Sun-mi Hwang (Fiction)
I love when a slim novel packs a powerful punch. That is what happened when I read THE HEN WHO DREAMED SHE COULD FLY. On the surface, it’s a story about a hen named Sprout who is trapped in a chicken coop and dreams of hatching an egg and nurturing a chick. Instead, she is sentenced to a life where her hatched eggs slowly roll away from her and are then collected each day and taken to market. The numbing experience of loss and longing is her companion every day. From her perch, she watches animals in the yard milling about and hatches a plan to escape beyond the walls of the hen house and roam freely, in the hopes of becoming a mother.


What unfolds is a story of friendship, the power of freedom and the bonds of motherhood, as well as a look at the definition of what a mother truly is. Humans play a very small role here while animals act out the very human themes. Love, prejudice, a lack of tolerance and the sheer, unadulterated joy of friendship will have you thinking about this story long after you finish it. I immediately suggested it to our high school for summer reading! Press materials referenced ANIMAL FARM and CHARLOTTE’S WEB as comparisons --- and this definitely has the potential to become a classic as well. It would be great for a book group discussion.

Gorgeously packaged with French flaps and beautiful illustrations, it is a fabulous book to share as a gift. It was originally published in South Korea and has sold more than 2,000,000 copies worldwide. You will see why. Wow!

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.

 
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Bookreporter.com's Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature
At Bookreporter.com, we kick off the holiday season in style with our Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature. As our gift to you, on select days in November and December, we will spotlight a book and give five lucky readers a chance to win it. You have to visit the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter the contest. If you think you will forget to check the site, no worries: we also send a special newsletter to announce the day's title. If you would like to sign up for these email alerts, click here.


This year's featured titles are:

Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, December 3rd at noon ET.

Click here to read all the contest details and see our featured titles.
More Reviews This Week

A NASTY PIECE OF WORK by Robert Littell (Thriller)
Former CIA agent Lemuel Gunn works as a private investigator from his mobile home. Into his life comes Ornella Neppi, who’s making a hash out of her uncle’s bail bonds business. The source of her troubles, Emilio Gava, was arrested for buying cocaine. He’s jumped bail and now she’s about to pay the price for it. Curiously, no photographs of Gava seem to exist. Once Gunn begins his search, it becomes unclear whether Gava even existed in the first place. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

OUR PICNICS IN THE SUN by Morag Joss (Psychological Thriller)
Howard and Deborah have sunk their life savings into the small cottage where they raise sheep and live quiet lives. When Howard has a stroke, Deborah must open the doors to lodgers, turning her home into a bed and breakfast. Two men come one night, drinking too much and complaining too loudly. The next morning, one of them is gone and the other can't even begin to pay the bill. So begins Morag Joss's latest novel, which delves into the corroded pasts of these three characters. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

JEEVES AND THE WEDDING BELLS by Sebastian Faulks (Fiction/Humor)
Bertie Wooster (a young man about town) and his butler Jeeves (the very model of the modern manservant) return in their first new novel in nearly 40 years. P.G. Wodehouse documented the lives of the inimitable Jeeves and Wooster for nearly 60 years, from their first appearance in 1915 to his final completed novel in 1974. Now, four decades later, Bertie and Jeeves return in a hilarious affair of mix-ups and mishaps. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.

MOZART: A Life by Paul Johnson (Biography/Music)
In MOZART: A LIFE, acclaimed historian and author Paul Johnson’s focus is on the music --- Mozart’s wondrous output of composition and his uncanny gift for instrumentation. In addition, Johnson challenges the many myths that have followed Mozart, including those about the composer’s health, wealth, religion and relationships. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.

CROSS AND BURN by Val McDermid (Thriller)
Guilt and grief have driven a wedge between crime-fighting partners psychologist Tony Hill and ex-DCI Carol Jordan. Meanwhile, someone is killing women --- women who bear an unsettling resemblance to Carol. And when the evidence begins to point in a disturbing direction, thinking the unthinkable seems the only possible answer. Cornered by events, Tony and Carol are forced to fight for themselves and each other as never before. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

SINS OF THE FLESH: A Carmine Delmonico Novel by Colleen McCullough (Historical Mystery)
In the sleepy college town of Holloman, Connecticut, in 1969, two anonymous male corpses turn up, emaciated and emasculated. After connecting the victims to four other bodies, Sergeant Delia Carstairs and Lieutenant Abe Goldberg realize that Holloman has a psychopathic killer on the loose. Police Captain Carmine Delmonico’s team begins to circle a trio of eccentrics, who share family ties, painful memories, and a dark past. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

PURSUIT by Gene Hackman (Thriller)
In a tense standoff with a shopping mall shooter, Sergeant Juliette Worth has the suspect about to surrender. Then, in a few explosive seconds, she takes him down. Instead of kudos for saving his hostage, the Missouri State Criminal Investigation Unit hands Julie cold case duty. Among the forgotten files, she uncovers a disturbing connection between disappearances from years ago --- all pretty girls, all presumed runaways. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

DEAD MAN’S HARVEST by Matt Hilton (Thriller)
Martin Maxwell was once an agent of the Secret Service. He was also consumed by a fury he quenched through brutal acts of violence. Joe Hunter made him pay the price for his crimes, but Maxwell survived his near death at Hunter's hands. Now he has begun a new killing spree, targeting those responsible for his defeat and imprisonment. And he's saving Joe Hunter for last... Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

Young Adult Books You Want to Read

Our company, The Book Report Network, has a number of websites about books and authors in addition to Bookreporter.com. Throughout the year, Bookreporter.com features adult books on Teenreads.com, our site for young adult readers, that we think will have definite appeal to a teen audience. In the spirit of sharing, we spotlight a selection of titles each month from Teenreads.com that we believe are great reads that you might enjoy.

Here are our latest featured titles:


LOUD AWAKE AND LOST
by Adele Griffin (Psychological Thriller)

There was an accident. Ember knows at least that much. She was driving. The car was totaled. She suffered back injuries and brain trauma. But she is alive. That's the only thing left she can cling to. She can't even remember the six weeks of her life leading up to the accident. Where was she going? Who was she with? And what happened during those six weeks that her friends and family won't talk about?

ANGEL DE LA LUNA AND THE 5th GLORIOUS MYSTERY by M. Evelina Galang (Fiction)
Angel has just lost her father, and her mother's grief means she might as well be gone too. She has a sister and a grandmother to look out for, and a burgeoning consciousness of the unfairness in the world --- in her family, her community and her country.

KETCHUP CLOUDS by Annabel Pitcher (Fiction)
Zoe has an unconventional pen pal --- Mr. Stuart Harris, a Texas Death Row inmate and convicted murderer. But then again, Zoe has an unconventional story to tell. A story about how she fell for two boys, betrayed one of them, and killed the other.
 

Click here for more young adult books we recommend you read.
This Week’s Poll: Holiday Shopping

When are you planning to start your holiday shopping this year?

I already started.
I already am done.
I start right before Thanksgiving.
I start right after Thanksgiving.
I wait until December.
I wait until the absolute last minute.

I do not do holiday shopping.

Thinking about books as holiday presents, which best describes when you shop for them?

When I am doing the rest of my holiday shopping.

After most of my holiday shopping is done.
I make a special trip for buying books.
They are a last-minute purchase.
I buy them throughout the year.
I do not give books as holiday gifts.

Click here to answer the poll.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You've Read --- and You Can Win THREE Books!

Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from November 15th to December 6th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of KING AND MAXWELL by David Baldacci, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY by Joshilyn Jackson, and THE SUPREME MACARONI COMPANY by Adriana Trigiani.

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 complete rules and guidelines, click here.

Please note: You must enter your full address, using correct capitalization and filling in all fields if you would like to be eligible to win a prize.


Also, we realize that many times, your opinion of a book will change as you get further along into the story. Thus, to ensure that your comments and ratings accurately reflect your entire reading experience, we ask that you finish reading the book before you submit your comments about it.

One important technical note: If you're using an iPad or another iOS device to access the Word of Mouth page and you would like to enter the contest, you must wait for the page to fully load before you can rate your book. Only then will the stars be clickable.


-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.

Click here to enter the contest.

Contests Running on Other Sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com

We have a number of contests currently running on our other sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com. Please take a look at them below, and enter for your chance to win some fabulous books!

ReadingGroupGuides.com

THE LOST ART OF MIXING by Erica Bauermeister
We are celebrating the paperback release of THE LOST ART OF MIXING by Erica Bauermeister --- a luminous sequel to THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS about the power of love, food and companionship --- with a special contest. 10 groups will have the opportunity to chat with Erica Bauermeister and receive up to 12 copies of the book, which is now available in paperback. The deadline for entries is Thursday, December 5th at noon ET.

THE YELLOW EYES OF CROCODILES by Katherine Pancol
We are celebrating the upcoming release of THE YELLOW EYES OF CROCODILES by Katherine Pancol, a hilariously entertaining mega-bestseller from France, with a special contest. 25 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which will be in stores on December 31st, for their group. The deadline for entries is Thursday, December 5th at noon ET.

THE RETURNED by Jason Mott
We are celebrating the release of THE RETURNED by Jason Mott --- a page-turning debut novel that explores timeless questions of faith and morality, love and responsibility --- with a special contest. 25 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Thursday, December 5th at noon ET.


"What Are You Reading?" Monthly Contest Feature

Let us know what your group is reading in November, and you will be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! Our latest prize book is THE BOOK THIEF, Markus Zusak’s award-winning novel that will be released as a movie on November 15th. We have 12 copies of the book to give away to three groups. Enter here by Thursday, December 5th at noon ET for your chance to win copies for you and your group members.


Kidsreads.com

BATTLE BUNNY by Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett and Matthew Myers
To celebrate the release of the hilarious mash-up from Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett and Matthew Myers, we'd like to offer you the opportunity to make your very own Battle Bunny for a chance to win prizes! In BATTLE BUNNY, Alex is given a sappy book about a bunny's birthday, but decides to make it interesting by creating his own doomsday story on top of it. For this contest, we'd like you to grab a pencil, sharpen your creativity, and transform a page of this story! The deadline for entries is Friday, December 6th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com

FaithfulReader.com's Monthly Contest
In FaithfulReader.com's latest monthly contest, 10 readers will win a copy of CRITICAL REACTION by Todd M. Johnson, a riveting fictional journey though our legal system complete with danger, deception, and an unrelenting pursuit of truth. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, December 18th at noon ET.


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.

Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: www.20SomethingReads.com, www.Teenreads.com, www.Kidsreads.com, www.ReadingGroupGuides.com, www.GraphicNovelReporter.com, www.FaithfulReader.com and www.AuthorsOnTheWeb.com.

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