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July 13, 2001
Dear Reader:
Remember those essays you were asked to write in school --- What I did on my summer
vacation? While a few of you might be interested in the hike I took into the mountains of
West Virginia, I think a lot more of you will care about what I read! So here is my
vacation reading diary:
For pure escape to unwind I read an ARC (advanced reading copy sent to reviewers in
advance of publication) of Sandra Brown's ENVY.
I am a longtime Brown fan, but must tell you that this is her best ever. The twists and
turns are endless. It will be in stores on August 28th but Warner Books, her publisher is
offering 50 ARC giveaways right now on their website. Go to:
http://www.twbookmark.com/fiction for details.
After ENVY I read SOMEONE
LIKE YOU by Cathy Kelly. We will have a review of this book in the next few weeks.
Kelly is a well-known author in the U.K. and Ireland. This is her American debut. It's the
story of three women who meet on a trip to Eygpt and what evolves with their friendship
once they return home. If you like Rosamunde Pilcher
(who blurbs the book) you will like this one.
Lynne Hinton, who made a name for herself with reading groups due to a fantastic book
called FRIENDSHIP
CAKE, has a new one: THE
THINGS I KNOW BEST. The women of the Ivy family are blessed --- and cursed --- with a
gift of KNOWING. Terrific read by an author who has a distinct Southern voice.
Next up was the ARC of Nicholas Sparks' new
one, A BEND IN THE ROAD, which is coming out on September 18th. Set in New
Bern, North Carolina Sparks's tale has a mystery woven into the storyline. I think his
dialogue here is stronger than in recent books.
One of my favorite older books is COMPROMISING
POSITIONS by Susan Isaacs. If any of you have not read it, it's time to pick it up.
For those of you who have, it's time to do a quick re-read. Why? Well, after 20 years
Judith Singer is back in LONG
TIME NO SEE, which will be in stores in September. You are going to LOVE this one. I
am giving a special heads up here to Evanovich fans who have not read Isaacs. I saw the
same wit in both of their voices!
A couple of years ago I read ROCKET
BOYS by Homer
Hickam, Jr. and became enamored with his writing. Went on to interview him, and read
his next book THE COALWOOD
WAY. His new one SKY
OF STONE will be out in October. It's the third book in the trilogy and brings readers
further into his world growing up in the coal world of rural West Virginia. It was
poignant to read this while overlooking the hills of West Virginia from poolside at our
hotel. If you have not yet read Hickam, start with the older works to prepare for the SKY
OF STONE release. Each book works as a stand alone, but together they tell a powerful
story. I think of the television show "The Wonder Years" as I read them. The
voice is that fresh and honest.
Whew. Quite a list. Please don't forget to tell us what you are reading at Word of Mouth. I enjoy reading your
comments each week.
This week we are proud to bring you our contemporary Latino literature feature.
Bookreporter.com's Rob Cline delves into the spicy mix of new voices from Latin and South
America, as well as Latino writers living in the U.S. Covering both fiction and
nonfiction, this feature is a must read for anyone looking to broaden their literary
horizons!
Pondering how you make your book buying decisions in our QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Does a cover affect your decision to buy a book? Which book do you think has a great
cover?
NEW THIS WEEK
Bookreporter Talks To:
Gayle Lynds,
author of MESMERIZED,
reveals some behind-the-scenes facts about the KGB in America and the turmoil within the
counterintelligence community in an interview with Bookreporter.com's Ann Bruns.
Bookreporter Readers
Say....
What is your guilty pleasure beach book?
Perspective
CIVIL WAR
BEACH BOOKS by Jon Saunders
History can be just as fascinating as any other genre and Jon Saunders offers his views on
three exemplary titles you might want to stash in your beach bag.
Summer Features
BEACH BOOKS & BEYOND! Summer Reading Tip # 7:
This week's tip comes from Bookreporter.com reader Alexa Selph of Atlanta, GA
Enter Wave Two of the Surf
the Web for Summer Reading Contest with prizes totaling $1,000!
Remember that you can pre-order books at
Amazon.com
Features
BITTERROOT by James Lee
Burke
When Holland vacations in Montana, he finds triple trouble: a friend accused of murder, a
psychotic with a personal grudge, and an alluring woman with a checkered past. Reviewed by
Joe Hartlaub and excerpted.
SUMMER LIGHT by Luanne Rice
The forces that can strengthen or break relationships are woven into this romantic novel
of a woman's struggle to find happiness. Reviewed by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and excerpted.
PARALLEL LIES by Ridley
Pearson
An investigator attempting to stop a madman from derailing trains, discovers that justice
isn't always easy to render or define. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and excerpted.
MESMERIZED by Gayle Lynds
A lawyer becomes the recipient of a heart transplant that draws her into a frightening
world of KGB agents and political murders. Reviewed by Ann Bruns and excerpted.
New Voices in Latino
Literature
Rob Cline examines seven new titles representing the wealth of fiction and nonfiction
flooding in from south of our border.
On The Road with Ann Patchett
As Ann Patchett
is nearing the end of her book tour for BEL CANTO, she reflects on
the poignant moments of her coast-to-coast travels.
Re-Review:
TNT airs THE MISTS OF AVALON, a two-part original miniseries, beginning Sunday,
July 15 at 8pm and concluding Monday, July 16 at 8pm. Based on the Marion Zimmer Bradley
bestseller of the same name, the tale is told through the eyes of the women of King
Arthur's court, offering a brilliant new twist on the traditional legend. The film will
star Anjelica Huston, Joan Allen and Julianna Margulies.
More on Bookreporter.com
Be sure to look for One You Don't Want to Miss, This Week in Book History
and Books Into Movies.
Reviews
THE RIGHT HAND OF
SLEEP by John Wray
A powerful debut novel that portrays a haunting story of an Austrian family during the
Nazi occupation. Reviewed by Jonathan Shipley.
CROSSING THE WATER:
Eighteen Months On an Island Working with Trouble Boys-A Teacher's Memoir by Daniel Robb
A remarkable teacher recounts his experiences in helping teenage "toughs" to
find hope and understanding. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
TWELVE FINGERS: Biography
of an Anarchist by Jô Soares
An entertaining romp through world history with the unluckiest assassin since the era of
Peter Sellers. Reviewed by Amee Vayas.
A PITCHER'S STORY: Innings
with David Cone by Roger Angell
Sensitivity rather than sensationalism earmarks this full-length biography of this man
on the mound. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
A HOUSE FOR MR. BISWAS by
V.S. Naipaul
A journalist struggles to fulfill his life-long dream within the socially stagnant
environment of postcolonial Trinidad. Reviewed by Mary Louise Rohner.
THE TATTERED CLOAK AND
OTHER STORIES by Nina Berberova
Compassionate and personal, this collection reflects the heart wrenching adjustment for
many Russian emigrants of the '30s and '40s. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
Browse online at Levenger.com
for all your book-related accessory needs.
CONTESTS AND GIVEAWAYS
Enter the Surf the
Web for Summer Reading Contest with prizes totaling $1,000! Nine different
websites about books and reading have joined together to bring you the ultimate summer
contest. Check out each of the websites to find terrific titles that will keep you turning
the pages through the lazy days ahead. And while you're there, hunt for the special
contest word on each site. Arrange the nine words into a grammatically correct sentence
and email your answer to Contests@bookreporter.com. What could be easier!
This week we're giving away TWO copies of MESMERIZED by Gayle Lynds to
two lucky winners! Submit to Word of
Mouth and your name will go in the hat for your chance to win one.
Every month one Bookreporter.com newsletter subscriber wins a $50 Amazon.com gift
certificate. To subscribe to the newsletter and automatically be entered to win, send an
e-mail to newsletter@bookreporter.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. If you already
receive this newsletter in your e-mailbox every week, why not forward it to a friend?
Find a great place to relax and read!
--- Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@Bookreporter.com)
for The Book Report Network
Bookreporter.com * ReadingGroupGuides.com * AuthorsOnTheWeb.com * Teenreads.com * Kidsreads.com
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