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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
March 14, 2014 |
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No No, No More Snow!
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When temperatures are in the mid-60s and then drop to the mid-20s, one does not need to be a math genius to know this is not a fun weather pattern. The back seat of my car has a collection of coats, jackets and my trusty turquoise vest so I can layer up appropriately according to the weather. This weekend I am determined to get my car washed, but then again I see S-N-O-W in the forecast for Monday. The only consolation is that I finished the winter scarf above last weekend and was able to wear it. In an ode to trying to get weather to be better, I am going to knit lightweight tank tops. Let’s see if it works!
On Monday night, I attended the Books for a Better Life Awards, where books about health, wellness, mind, body and spirit won awards. I am happy to share that TAYLOR’S GIFT by Todd and Tara Storch was the winner in the Inspirational Memoir category. Four years ago today, Taylor was declared brain-dead in a skiing accident, and in the hours afterwards, her parents were asked if they had considered donating her organs. Five people “outlived Taylor” as a result. And they went on to found TaylorsGift.org, a foundation that promotes not only organ donation awareness, but also education about what families of organ donors go through before, during and after transplants. You can see a photo above of Todd and Tara, their daughter Peyton and son Ryan, along with Meredith Vierra, who hosted the ceremony. In a lovely moment taking this full circle, Meredith did the first national interview with them years ago. The complete list of winners are here.
We also have the winners of the National Book Critics Circle Awards here; the prizes were handed out last night.
Earlier this year, I told you I was “wild wild wild” about Gabrielle Zevin’s THE STORIED LIFE OF A. J. FIKRY, a brilliantly fun novel that has as its protagonist a cantankerous but charming indie bookseller named A. J. On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage that serves as the store and A. J.’s home is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." A. J. is about to discover just what that truly means when a mysterious package appears at his bookstore; this unexpected arrival gives him the opportunity to begin his life anew. I am not alone in my praise of this book as it is a #1 selection on both the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists for April.
We want our readers to get in the pre-publication excitement, and thus I’m happy to share that we are offering a contest giving 25 readers the chance to win an advance copy of THE STORIED LIFE OF A. J. FIKRY, which releases on April 1st. We are looking for readers who are willing to read this book and submit their comments about it to us and on social media by Wednesday, April 9th; please only enter if you can make this commitment to read and comment by this date. Trust that you can easily read this book in a day or two. And as a bonus, those who share their feedback by April 9th will receive a finished copy of the book (as we're betting you'll love the book so much that you'll want to share a copy with a friend)! To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 20th at noon ET. It will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection after its April 1st release, but I am betting you guessed that.
I’m pleased to share with you our review of SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler, a book that I read last year in an early manuscript and have raved about, which released this week. This impressive debut introduces readers to Hank, Leland, Kip and Ronny, who were all born and raised in the same Wisconsin town --- Little Wing --- and are now coming into their own (or not) as husbands and fathers. Seamlessly woven into their patchwork is Beth, whose presence among them --- both then and now --- fuels the kind of passion one comes to expect of lovesongs and rivalries. Reviewer Jennifer Romanello proclaims: “This is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in a long time. It’s about the power and intricacies of friendship and the pull of home. The setting and description of Little Wing is pitch-perfect, almost a character in itself.” Jennifer asked Nickolas some questions about the book and his path to publication, and you can read that interview here. SHOTGUN LOVESONGS will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, and you can read my comments on it next week.
Chris Pavone is back, following up his Edgar Award-winning novel, THE EXPATS, with another surefire bestseller, THE ACCIDENT. Literary agent Isabel Reed is turning the final pages of a mysterious, anonymous manuscript that contains explosive revelations about powerful people. Veteran CIA operative Hayden Gray, determined that this sweeping story be buried, is suddenly staring down the barrel of a gun. And the author himself is hiding in a shadowy expat life while always looking over his shoulder. Over the course of one long day, these lives collide as the book begins its dangerous march toward publication. Joe Hartlaub has our review and says, “Even without the explosions, deaths, and yes, sex that occurs here, Pavone makes the give and take and subterfuge of the business of books interesting, fascinating and suspenseful.” I started THE ACCIDENT the other morning and love how he captured “the dance” that happens when an agent reads a manuscript and wants to woo exactly the right editor to publish it. Chris was once an editor, so his descriptions are spot on as well as his plotting for a taut thriller.
We also have a review of Laura McHugh’s debut novel, THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD, which we featured as a contest title on the site leading up to its release this week. Lucy Dane is haunted by the murder of her friend, Cheri, along with the disappearance of her mother who she never knew. With the help of a local boy, Daniel, she sets out to uncover the mystery behind Cheri’s death. What Lucy discovers is a secret that pervades the secluded Missouri hills, and a much more personal one concerning what happened to her mother more than a decade earlier. Reviewer Terry Miller Shannon raves, “It's difficult not to glory in author Laura McHugh's lyrical phrasing…while almost simultaneously shuddering at some of her revelations. This is an amazing feat of storytelling that is almost certain to terrify readers while also ensnaring them.”
Holly Peterson, whose debut THE MANNY was a much-talked-about bestseller, is the latest author in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. In her second novel, THE IDEA OF HIM, Allie Crawford has the life she always dreamed of. But when she finds her husband locked in their laundry room with a stunning blonde, a scandal ensues that flips her life on its head. And when the woman wants to befriend Allie, an old flame calls, and a new guy gets a little too close for comfort, she starts to think her marriage is more of a facade than something real. This book has a lot of spunk. I sat down to read a chapter or two on a snowy morning and did not look up until page 100. Perhaps I was being clairvoyant there as we have 100 copies to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on April 1st, and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 27th at noon ET. Fun reading!
How many of you are watching the second season of "House of Cards"? I know I am. Did you know that there originally was a British series with the same name? Thus, our latest New Release Spotlight is HOUSE OF CARDS, the 1989 book by Michael Dobbs that is being re-released to coincide with season two of the hit Netflix series starring Kevin Spacey. Francis Urquhart has his hand on every secret in politics --- and is willing to betray them all to become prime minister. Mattie Storin is a tenacious young reporter who has a knack for finding the real stories hidden behind the spin. When she stumbles upon a scandalous web of intrigue and financial corruption at the very highest levels, she vows to reveal the truth. But to do so, she must battle her own demons and risk everything, even her life. Click here to read more about this classic political thriller and its author. It will be fun to read and compare the storylines!
We’re pleased to spotlight our review and interview for Susan Mallery’s latest Blackberry Island novel, EVENING STARS, as our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of the book enters its final week. Small-town nurse Nina Wentworth has made a career out of being a caretaker. She sacrificed medical school --- and her first love --- so her sister could break free. Which is why she isn’t exactly thrilled to see Averil back on Blackberry Island, especially when Nina’s life has suddenly become…complicated. Terry Miller Shannon has this to say in her review: “The sisters' intertwined stories step right along, and the romantic entanglements add a sweet (and sometimes spicy) note while not overpowering the main plot.” Susan has lots to say about the book and her prolific career in Terry’s interview with her, which you can see here.
This week, we gave away four books in our Spring Preview feature: THE COLD SONG by Linn Ullmann, THE FORGOTTEN SEAMSTRESS by Liz Trenow, THE OTHER TYPIST by Suzanne Rindell, and THE RENTAL SISTER by Jeff Backhaus. The feature wraps up next week (as spring arrives) with our final four giveaways: THE SHELF: From LEQ to LES: Adventures in Extreme Reading by Phyllis Rose, THE SNOW QUEEN by Michael Cunningham, TOMORROW THERE WILL BE APRICOTS by Jessica Soffer, and WHIRLWIND by Rick Mofina. If you’d like to be notified when each of these 24-hour contests go live, all you have to do is sign up for our Spring Preview newsletter. Please note: If you signed up for the Spring Preview newsletter in the previous years we’ve done these contests, you don’t need to do so again…you already are signed up!
Last week, we reviewed GEMINI and A CIRCLE OF WIVES. As promised this week, I have my Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary to share with you on both books. Click here for my thoughts on Carol Cassella’s latest novel, and here to see why I’m betting you’ll love Alice LaPlante’s new psychological thriller.
We’ve posted this month’s History Books roundup with titles chosen by our resident history buff, Greg Fitzgerald. (I'm wondering if I now can write off his B.A. in History from Fordham as business-related!) Among our featured selections for March are MACHINE MADE: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics by Terry Golway, THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan, THE AGE OF RADIANCE: The Epic Rise and Dramatic Fall of the Atomic Era by Craig Nelson, and THE ETERNAL NAZI: From Mauthausen to Cairo, the Relentless Pursuit of SS Doctor Aribert Heim by Nicholas Kulish and Souad Mekhennet.
In our latest poll, you’ll find a number of fiction titles that are being published this month. We’d like to know which of these books (if any) you’re planning to read. Click here to vote. I’ve been watching the voting all week, and the top-selected book has not changed!
Our current Word of Mouth contest will be up for one more week. Let us know what books you’ve finished reading, and you’ll be in the running to win the aforementioned THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD, along with MISSING YOU by Harlan Coben, RAISING STEAM: A Discworld Novel by Terry Pratchett, and the audiobook version of SHOTGUN LOVESONGS.
ReadingGroupGuides.com has been updated for March, and we have SEVEN great contests over there for those of you in book groups. Not in a book group? Here are two ways you can be active on that site. First, if you read a book and think it would be perfect for books groups, click here and enter the title in our "Rate Books for Book Groups" feature. You know how many times you close a book and think “this would be a great book to discuss”? Well, pass that word along. Second, note that if there is a discussion guide available for a book on ReadingGroupGuides.com, it’s also linked to the book page on Bookreporter.com. I often read these discussion questions just to see what I can learn from a book that I might have missed. So many of the questions pose new ideas.
On the home front, Cory is on Spring Break starting today. Looking forward to having him and his friends around! Tom and I are both too busy to do a Spring Break trip this year, which definitely makes me sad, especially since typically a trip this time of year would mean eight days of reading.
Monday is St. Patrick’s Day, when the city gets absolutely crazy with those who peel off from the parade on 5th Avenue to the local bars, which makes it a day to hunker down in the office. I’ll be in meetings with a cucumber soda (it’s green, right?) as, yes, I was able to find it in a local store. Cory thinks my homemade one is better. Maybe I should start bottling it! You know, in my free time.
Have a great week…and read on.
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Nickolas Butler, Author of SHOTGUN LOVESONGS
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SHOTGUN LOVESONGS is the debut novel of Nickolas Butler, whose writing has appeared in Narrative Magazine, Ploughshares, The Christian Science Monitor and elsewhere. Along the way, he has worked as a telemarketer, a coffee roaster, a meatpacker, an innkeeper (twice), a liquor store clerk, an office manager, a hot dog vendor, and an author escort. SHOTGUN LOVESONGS is the story of four friends who were all born and raised in the same Wisconsin town, and the powerful, tensile bond of their friendship --- held together by the inescapable pull of home.
In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Jennifer Romanello, Butler talks about the inspiration behind Little Wing, the town at the heart of the novel --- a setting that is so seamlessly integrated into the plot that it’s almost its own character. He also reveals why he decided to tell the story from multiple perspectives, the paradox of celebrity, and what he’s working on next.
SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler (Fiction)
Hank, Leland, Kip and Ronny were all born and raised in the same Wisconsin town --- Little Wing --- and are now coming into their own (or not) as husbands and fathers. Seamlessly woven into their patchwork is Beth, whose presence among them --- both then and now --- fuels the kind of passion one comes to expect of lovesongs and rivalries. Now all four are home, in hopes of finding what could be real purchase in the world. Reviewed by Jennifer Romanello.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read about the audiobook.
-Click here to read Nickolas Butler's bio.
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Click here to read our interview. |
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Now in Stores: THE ACCIDENT by Chris Pavone
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THE ACCIDENT by Chris Pavone (Thriller)
Literary agent Isabel Reed is turning the final pages of a mysterious, anonymous manuscript that contains explosive revelations about powerful people. Veteran CIA operative Hayden Gray, determined that this sweeping story be buried, is suddenly staring down the barrel of a gun. And the author himself is hiding in a shadowy expat life while always looking over his shoulder. Over the course of one long day, these lives collide as the book begins its dangerous march toward publication. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read a review. |
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New Special Contest: Win an Advance Copy of THE STORIED LIFE OF A. J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin and Share Your Comments About It
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We are celebrating the April 1st release of THE STORIED LIFE OF A. J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win an advance copy of the book. Those winners who submit their comments about it with us and on social media by Wednesday, April 9th will receive a finished copy of the book (as we're betting you'll love the book so much that you'll want to share a copy with a friend)! To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 20th at noon ET.
THE STORIED LIFE OF A. J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin (Fiction)
A. J. Fikry's life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died; his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history; and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen.
Then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, though large in weight --- an unexpected arrival that gives A. J. the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A. J., for the determined sales rep Amelia to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light, for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A. J.’s world. Or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read Gabrielle Zevin's bio.
-Click here to visit Gabrielle Zevin's official website.
-Connect with Gabrielle Zevin on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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New Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: THE IDEA OF HIM by Holly Peterson
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We have 100 copies of THE IDEA OF HIM by Holly Peterson, which releases on April 1st, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 27th at noon ET.
THE IDEA OF HIM by Holly Peterson (Fiction)
Allie Crawford has the life she always dreamed of --- she's number two at a high-profile P.R. firm; she has two kids she adores; and her husband is a blend of handsome and heroic. Wade is everything she thought a man was supposed to be --- he's running a successful newsmagazine and, best of all, he provides the stable yet exciting New York City life Allie believes she needs in order to feel secure and happy.
But when Allie finds Wade locked in their laundry room with a stunning blonde in snakeskin sandals, a scandal ensues that flips her life on its head. And when the woman wants to befriend Allie, an old flame calls, and a new guy gets a little too close for comfort, she starts to think her marriage is more of a facade than something real. Maybe she's fallen in love not with Wade, but with the idea of him.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read Holly Peterson's bio.
-Connect with Holly Peterson on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
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New Release Spotlight: HOUSE OF CARDS by Michael Dobbs
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HOUSE OF CARDS by Michael Dobbs (Political Thriller)
The #1 bestselling novel that inspired the hit Netflix series.
A dark tale of greed, corruption and unquenchable ambition, HOUSE OF CARDS reveals that no matter the country, politics, intrigue and passion reign in the corridors of power.
Francis Urquhart has his hand on every secret in politics --- and is willing to betray them all to become prime minister. Mattie Storin is a tenacious young reporter who has a knack for finding the real stories hidden behind the spin. When she stumbles upon a scandalous web of intrigue and financial corruption at the very highest levels, she vows to reveal the truth. But to do so, she must battle her own demons and risk everything, even her life.
HOUSE OF CARDS is a classic political thriller reinvented for a new generation.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read Michael Dobbs's bio.
-Click here to visit Michael Dobbs's official website.
-Click here to connect with Michael Dobbs on Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight. |
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Now in Stores: THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD by Laura McHugh
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THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD by Laura McHugh (Mystery/Thriller)
Lucy Dane lives in a tiny town in the Ozarks, where she can't resist ferreting out the clues to the murder of her childhood friend. Her suspicions intersect with the long-ago disappearance of her mother, unleashing deep, dark secrets too close to home --- revelations that are destined to change Lucy's life forever after. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Susan Mallery, Author of EVENING STARS
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With more than 25 million books sold worldwide, New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is known for creating characters who feel as real as the folks next door and for putting them into emotional, often funny situations readers recognize from their own lives. So it’s not surprising that her latest book in the Blackberry Island series, EVENING STARS, is a poignant story about two sisters --- complete opposites in every way --- who are on the verge of claiming their dreams…if only they can decide what they want!
In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Terry Miller Shannon, Mallery opens up about how lucky she is to actually enjoy the writing process (instead of wrestling with it), her own road to publication --- starting with an adult-education class on romance novel writing --- and advice she would give to young or struggling writers. She also talks about what inspires her (everything!) and why having “the attention span of a gnat” has played a significant role in her prolific career.
EVENING STARS: A Blackberry Island Novel by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
Nina Wentworth once dreamed of attending medical school, but put her plans on the backburner in order to stay on Blackberry Island and tend to her charismatic but irresponsible mother. Her sister, Averil, did get away and has an ideal marriage and job, yet feels she must return to Blackberry Island to regain her focus and happiness. Then their mother purchases an object that seems laughable --- but has the potential to change everything about their lives. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
Download a copy of the EVENING STARS book club kit here! Inside you’ll find a letter from Susan, a Blackberry Island map, a special author Q&A, recipes and more to make your book club a success!
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Susan Mallery's bio.
-Click here to visit Susan Mallery's official website.
-Connect with Susan Mallery on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to visit the Blackberry Island series website.
-Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
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Click here to read our interview. |
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Bookreporter.com's Spring Preview Contests and Feature
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Spring is in the air (or will be soon)! We’ve caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by a list of great upcoming books! Here are some picks that we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We will be hosting a number of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through March 20th. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, March 17th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
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Click here to see our Spring Preview feature and sign up for our special newsletter. |
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Bookreporter.com Bets On: GEMINI by Carol Cassella and A CIRCLE OF WIVES by Alice LaPlante
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GEMINI by Carol Cassella (Mystery)
Like her earlier books, OXYGEN and HEALER, Carol Cassella, who is a practicing physician (an anesthesiologist), takes on a complex medical issue in GEMINI, weaving a strong story from it.
A woman is found critically injured and unconscious on the side of a road and arrives at a hospital as a Jane Doe. There, ICU doctor Charlotte Reese is charged with her care. As she unravels this case, her longtime boyfriend Eric, a science journalist and author, becomes involved in Jane Doe's plight. At the same time, their relationship is tested in ways that they never could have imagined.
I loved it. I had the pleasure of meeting Carol in Seattle four years ago, and we talked for hours in the hotel lobby bar. Carol has two sets of twins, and thinking about the science behind twins drove her to thinking about DNA as she wrote this story. I always come away a bit smarter about a medical topic when I read one of Carol’s books. She has a strong sense of storytelling and the ability to share complex science information that is succinctly told within the storyline. GEMINI would be a great book group discussion title.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
A CIRCLE OF WIVES by Alice LaPlante (Psychological Thriller)
A few years ago, I read TURN OF MIND by Alice LaPlante and was crazy about it; I have told many people the plot of that book, which inspired them to read it. I hope I can do the same with A CIRCLE OF WIVES, her new one, which is just as strong.
Dr. John Taylor is found dead in a hotel room in Palo Alto, and it looks like he may be a victim of foul play. Then we learn that this respected doctor has been harboring a secret. He's a polygamist married to three women in three separate cities. All three women are at his funeral, and their individual stories collide, with a very interesting twist we learn that one of the troika was the mastermind of this arrangement. A young female detective is assigned to the case and finds herself trying to figure out who is telling the truth and who is lying, while (let’s get real) they all are living a lie.
At any moment, I said, “That one did it…no that one...no....” I read the last 100 pages in a sitting, and the ending was satisfying. It would make a good book group discussion title.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
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Click here to see more books we're betting you'll love. |
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Bookreporter.com's History Books Roundup for March
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March’s roundup of History titles includes MACHINE MADE, a surprising new history of New York’s most famous political machine --- Tammany Hall --- revealing, beyond the vice and corruption, a birthplace of progressive urban politics; THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY, a remarkable true story of the top-secret World War II town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the young women brought there unknowingly to help build the atomic bomb; THE AGE OF RADIANCE, a magisterial account of the men and women who uncovered the secrets of the nucleus, brought its power to America, and ignited the 20th century; WASHED AWAY, the incredible story of a flood of near-biblical proportions --- its destruction, its heroes and victims, and how it shaped America's natural-disaster policies for the next century; and THE ETERNAL NAZI, the never-before-told story of the most hunted Nazi war criminal in the world, by the New York Times reporters who first uncovered S.S. officer Aribert Heim’s secret life in Egypt.
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Click here to see our History Books roundup for March. |
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Women's Fiction Author Spotlight: YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN by Jean Hanff Korelitz
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YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN by Jean Hanff Korelitz (Literary Mystery)
Grace Reinhart Sachs is living the only life she ever wanted for herself. Devoted to her husband, a pediatric oncologist at a major cancer hospital, their young son Henry, and the patients she sees in her therapy practice, her days are full of familiar things: she lives in the very New York apartment in which she was raised, and sends Henry to the school she herself once attended. Dismayed by the ways in which women delude themselves, Grace is also the author of a book You Should Have Known, in which she cautions women to really hear what men are trying to tell them.
But weeks before the book is published a chasm opens in her own life: a violent death, a missing husband, and, in the place of a man Grace thought she knew, only an ongoing chain of terrible revelations. Left behind in the wake of a spreading and very public disaster, and horrified by the ways in which she has failed to heed her own advice, Grace must dismantle one life and create another for her child and herself.
YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN releases on March 18th.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read Jean Hanff Korelitz's bio.
-Click here to visit Jean Hanff Korelitz's official website.
-Click here to connect with Jean Hanff Korelitz on Facebook.
-Click here to see the 35 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
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Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight. |
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More Reviews This Week
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STONE COLD: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box (Mystery/Thriller)
Everything about the man is a mystery: the massive ranch in the remote Black Hills of Wyoming that nobody ever visits, the women who live with him, and especially the persistent rumors that his wealth comes from killing people. Joe Pickett, still officially a game warden but now mostly a troubleshooter for the governor, is assigned to find out what the truth is, but he discovers a lot more than he’d bargained for. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE CHASE by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (Thriller/Adventure)
FBI Agent Kate O'Hare has lived to put the slippery conman known as Nicolas Fox behind bars. Nick is a fed's worst nightmare: exceptionally talented in his line of work, known the world over for being able to pull off some of the most dangerous, high-profile cons. In a cruel twist of fate, Kate's bosses at the FBI force her to covertly partner up with Nick to take down big league crime. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
THE BLACK-EYED BLONDE: A Philip Marlowe Novel by Benjamin Black (Mystery/Noir)
It is the early 1950s, Philip Marlowe is as restless and lonely as ever, and business is a little slow. In walks a beautiful young woman who wants Marlowe to find her former lover, Nico Peterson. Marlowe sets off on his search, but almost immediately discovers that Peterson’s disappearance is merely the first in a series of bewildering events. Soon he is tangling with one of Bay City’s richest families and developing a singular appreciation for how far they will go to protect their fortune. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
BONE DEEP: A Doc Ford Novel by Randy Wayne White (Thriller/Adventure)
When a Crow Indian acquaintance of Tomlinson’s asks him to help recover a relic stolen from his tribe, Doc Ford is happy to tag along --- but neither Doc nor Tomlinson realize what they’ve let themselves in for. Their search takes them to Bone Valley, famous primarily for two things: a ruthless subculture of black-marketers who trade in illegal artifacts and fossils, and a multibillion-dollar phosphate industry whose strip mines compromise the very ground they walk on. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
ALL OUR NAMES by Dinaw Mengestu (Fiction)
Dinaw Mengestu’s new novel is set in the 1970s and alternates between two radically different environments: the violence-torn landscape of Idi Amin’s Uganda, and the bucolic Midwestern college town to which one of the refugees from Kampala immigrates. As in his two earlier novels, Mengestu’s elegiac writing dramatizes the struggles of African exiles trying to conform to American life while grappling with memories of the horrors they witnessed in their home continent. Reviewed by Michael Magras.
THE LOST SISTERHOOD by Anne Fortier (Historical Fiction)
Following on the success of her bestselling debut, JULIET, Anne Fortier has written a thrilling new historical novel that will forever alter our idea of one of mankind's greatest myths --- the Amazons --- by telling a brilliantly entwined story about a band of women who lived very long ago, and a young modern-day scholar who thinks they might not be such a myth after all. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
CITY OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT: A Molly Murphy Mystery by Rhys Bowen (Historical Mystery)
Molly and Daniel Sullivan are settling happily into the new routines of parenthood, but their domestic bliss is shattered the night a gang retaliates against Daniel for making a big arrest. Daniel wants his family safely out of New York City as soon as possible, so Molly agrees to take their young son, Liam, on the long journey to Paris to stay with her friends. But upon arriving in the City of Lights, nothing goes as planned. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
WATCHING YOU by Michael Robotham (Psychological Thriller)
Marnie Logan’s husband Daniel has inexplicably vanished, and the police have no leads in the case. Without proof of death or evidence of foul play, she can't access his bank accounts or life insurance. Depressed and increasingly desperate, she seeks the help of clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin. It appears that a cold-blooded killer is eliminating the people in Marnie's life, and now that O'Loughlin is a part of it, he is next in line. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
DEAR ABIGAIL: The Intimate Lives and Revolutionary Ideas of Abigail Adams and Her Two Remarkable Sisters by Diane Jacobs (Biography)
Much has been written about the enduring marriage of President John Adams and his wife, Abigail. But few know of the equally strong bond Abigail shared with her sisters, Mary Cranch and Elizabeth Shaw Peabody, accomplished women in their own right. Now acclaimed biographer Diane Jacobs reveals their moving story, which unfolds against the stunning backdrop of America in its transformative colonial years. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE MOON SISTERS by Therese Walsh (Fiction)
After their mother's probable suicide, sisters Olivia and Jazz take steps to move on with their lives. Jazz, logical and forward-thinking, decides to get a new job, but spirited, strong-willed Olivia --- who can see sounds, taste words and smell sights --- is determined to travel to the remote setting of their mother's unfinished novel to lay her spirit properly to rest. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE DISAPPEARED by Kristina Ohlsson (Thriller)
Missing student Rebecca Trolle is found carved up and buried in a forest glade in a Stockholm suburb. While Fredrika Bergman and her team try to find out why Rebecca met such a violent demise, more bodies are found in the same area. Fredrika is inevitably drawn into the case, but it becomes much more complicated when her lover’s name is mentioned in the investigation. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE OGALLALA ROAD: A Memoir of Love and Reckoning by Julene Bair (Memoir)
Julene Bair has inherited part of a farming empire and fallen in love with a rancher from Kansas’s beautiful Smoky Valley. Part of her legacy is a share of the ecological harm the Bair Farm has done: each growing season her family pumps over 200 million gallons out of the Ogallala aquifer. The rapidly disappearing aquifer is the sole source of water on the vast western plains, and her family’s role in its depletion haunts her. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
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Our Latest Poll: Which March Fiction Releases Will You Be Reading?
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Which of the following fiction titles releasing this month are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
ABOVE by Isla Morley
THE ACCIDENT by Chris Pavone
BLACK HORIZON: A Jack Swyteck Novel, by James Grippando
BLOSSOM STREET BRIDES: A Blossom Street Novel, by Debbie Macomber
THE BOOTLEGGER: An Isaac Bell Adventure, by Clive Cussler with Justin Scott
A CIRCLE OF WIVES by Alice LaPlante
DEATH ON BLACKHEATH: A Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novel, by Anne Perry
GEMINI by Carol Cassella
MISSING YOU by Harlan Coben
MURDER IN PIGALLE: An Aimée Leduc Investigation Set in Paris, by Cara Black
NYPD RED 2 by James Patterson and Marshall Karp
POWER PLAY by Danielle Steel
RAISING STEAM: A Discworld Novel, by Terry Pratchett
SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler
STONE COLD: A Joe Pickett Novel, by C.J. Box
TEMPTING FATE by Jane Green
TROUBLE IN MIND: The Collected Stories, Volume 3 by Jeffery Deaver
THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD by Laura McHugh
WORDS OF RADIANCE: Book Two of The Stormlight Archive, by Brandon Sanderson
YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN by Jean Hanff Korelitz
None of the above
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Click here to answer the poll. |
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Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win FOUR Books!
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Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from March 7th to March 21st, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of MISSING YOU by Harlan Coben, RAISING STEAM: A Discworld Novel by Terry Pratchett, THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD by Laura McHugh, and the audiobook version of SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler.
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.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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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.
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