December 14, 2016

Anne Rice at the Barnes & Nobles in Union Square, NYC

The time has come. We’re finally very, very, very close to the end of 2016 and we couldn’t be more pumped about it. For one, it means the end of a rather rocky year (start 23:19), to put it mildly. For two, it means our favorite thing: new beginnings, because who doesn’t love a time to start fresh. Whether you’re hitting the streets to celebrate the end of this dumpster-fire year, or you’re staying home in your coziest pair of heattech socks, make sure there’s plenty of champagne to wash it all down and kiss a stranger on NYE because WTF not.

This also marks our final newsletter of the year. Looking back on all the newsletters we’ve written this year is bittersweet, considering we covered a wide range of hard-hitting topics, from Ryan Lochte’s hair to frosé to the fine art of conscious unpartying. It feels like we’ve been together through it all; the highs: Everybody Wants Some!, Sausage Party, Moonlight, and the lows: Batman v. Superman. Oy vey. We understand there are peaks and pits for everybody --- Nikki still loves you, Benny. Here’s hoping Live by Night (the movie based off the book of the same name by Dennis Lehane) delivers. But seriously, we’ve made it together through this hard year, and we’ve all grown wiser for it. And also a little grayer. Between big book expectations and shockers, movie hypes and...letdowns in 2016, we predict it will be much of the same in 2017. Bah humbug!

Speaking of 2017, the Golden Globes noms came in this week, and they shouldn’t be too shocking to anyone who’s been paying attention. Although if you’ve been distracted this awards season by...more pressing things...we don’t blame you. Manchester by the Sea, La La Land and Moonlight lead the movie categories, with 18 nominations between them. Fan-fave “Game of Thrones,” edgy, brilliant “Atlanta,” consistently dark and consistently excellent “The Americans” and the spotty, high-concept “Westworld” are being recognized across the television categories. Jimmy Fallon will be hosting the ceremony this year, in a move away from last year’s more controversial Ricky Gervais, and feelings are mixed about how his pandering optimism will play out on the stage. Let’s be honest, no one will ever top Tina and Amy as the Globes hosts that dreams are made of.

We’re making a change in the new year, in a bigly way --- we’re switching newsletter platforms. New is fun, new is great and new is grand. For the book savvy, this might not mean much. For the tech savvy, you know this is a large feat. For those who fall in the middle, as we always say: there’s truly something for everyone. Our next newsletter will look the same but different, and to make sure it doesn’t go straight into your trash shoot, add [email protected] to your address book. Pls print.

It's the final countdown to the enter the Holiday Bundle of Cheer 2016 contest! We’re giving away 7 books to 5 lucky readers, so click here for your chance to win by next Wednesday, December 21st at noon ET. Scroll down to see the full list. Bonne chance!

If you're looking for gifts to give and to get, then look no further. Our lovely intern Dana curated a Holiday Coloring Books Gift Guide bookshelf over on Teenreads.com based on the best YA-inspired coloring books of 2016. Whether you need to relax over the break or find that perfect last-minute gift, we've got you covered, and here are a few more to check out:

Anne Rice is back at it again with PRINCE LESTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS: The Vampire Chronicles. At the novel's center is the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt: hero, leader, inspirer, irresistible force, irrepressible spirit, battling (and ultimately reconciling with) a strange otherworldly form that has somehow taken possession of Lestat's undead body and soul. This ancient and mysterious power and unearthly spirit of vampire lore has all the force, history and insidious reach of the unknowable Universe. It is through this spirit that we come to be told the hypnotic tale of a great sea power of ancient times --- a mysterious heaven on earth situated on a boundless continent --- and how and why this force came to build and rule the great legendary empire of centuries ago that thrived in the Atlantic Ocean.

Our own Rebecca Munro read, reviewed and loved PRINCE LESTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS and even had the chance to see Anne Rice discuss it live. She is happy to report that Anne is not only at the top of her game (literary- and fashion-wise), but Anne is as amazing a speaker as she is a writer. After discussing her religious journey and her inspiration for Atlantis, Anne revealed that she and her son are working on a television adaptation of Lestat's life. The series, which will be written by Rice and her son, is still in the (very) early stages, but we're sure it will be incredible.

THE PRINCESS DIARIST by Carrie Fisher is the memoir we've all been waiting for. When Fisher recently discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved --- plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Today, her fame as an author, actress and pop-culture icon is indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a (sort-of) regular teenager. With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, THE PRINCESS DIARIST is Fisher’s intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time --- and what developed behind the scenes. Ah, to be known for the body you had when you wore a metal bikini in your youth!

THE FATE OF THE TEARLING by Erika Johansen is the highly anticipated final book of the Queen of the Tearling trilogy. In less than a year, Kelsea Glynn has transformed from a gawky teenager into a powerful monarch. As she has come into her own as the Queen of the Tearling, the headstrong, visionary leader has also transformed her realm. In her quest to end corruption and restore justice, she has made many enemies. To protect her people from a devastating invasion, Kelsea gave herself and her magical sapphires to her enemy --- and named the Mace, the trusted head of her personal guards, regent in her place. But the Mace will not rest until he and his men rescue their sovereign, imprisoned in Mortmesne. As the suspenseful endgame begins, the fate of Queen Kelsea --- and the Tearling itself --- will finally be revealed.

We wish you the happiest of holidays and all the luck in the world in finding a New Year’s resolution that suits you. Until 2017, love ya much and talk soon.

5 Things We’re Obsessed With at This Very Moment, in no particular order:
1. The Baywatch trailer
2. This newly released Salvador Dalí cookbook (I smell a perfect gift idea!)
3. Heartthrob Rami Malek will be playing Freddie Mercury in a new biopic
4. The best book covers of 2016, according to the New York Times
5. This v. serious Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot game

Nicole Sherman ([email protected]) + Emily Hoenig ([email protected])

 

Early one morning, 18-year-old Alexandrina Victoria is roused from bed with the news that her uncle William IV has died and she is now Queen of England. The men who run the country have doubts about whether this sheltered young woman can rule the greatest nation in the world. But Victoria has very definite ideas about the kind of queen she wants to be. Everyone keeps saying she is destined to marry her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, but she found him dull and priggish when they met three years ago. She is quite happy being queen with the help of her prime minister, Lord Melbourne, who may be old enough to be her father but is the first person to take her seriously.

Author Daisy Goodwin is also the writer for the PBS Masterpiece "Victoria," based off of her book. The show will premiere on Sunday, January 15th at 9pm ET.

- Click here to see the Special Feature.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for an excerpt.
- Click here to read more about author Daisy Goodwin.

This year's featured titles include:

• MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs
• MY NOT SO PERFECT LIFE by Sophie Kinsella
• THE OUTLIERS by Kimberly McCreight
• RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard
• REPLICA by Lauren Oliver
• A SCHOOL FOR UNUSUAL GIRLS: A Stranje House Novel by Kathleen Baldwin
• THE THOUSANDTH FLOOR by Katharine McGee

For many, this time of year is the best time of year. It means more family and friends gatherings. It means you have mouths to feed with your homemade digestible delights. Ultimately, it means more excuses to eat, eat, eat, and...never stop eating. With weeks-ahead and down-to-the-minute menu planning in full swing, it's only natural to turn to the newest books in search of the perfect canapé, a crowd-pleasing side dish or the most decadent, drool-worthy desserts.

There's cookbooks from longtime kitchen stalwarts, some from famous restaurateursaround the country and total newcomers hot on the scene. If you aren't the homecook type, don't worry. There's no reason you can't use any one of these cookbooks as ideal foodie inspo or --- for the true gourmand --- just to gawk at the stunning pictures. Whatever your preference, it'll probably be satisfying. Now, we know the timer is ticking, so click here to see our roundup of this season's most noteworthy culinary compendiums over on Bookreporter.com.
 

THE CHEMIST by Stephenie Meyer (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Ellen Archer
She used to work for the U.S. government, but very few people ever knew that. An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn’t even have a name. And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning. Now, she rarely stays in the same place or uses the same name for long. They’ve killed the only other person she trusted, but something she knows still poses a threat. When her former handler offers her a way out, she realizes it’s her only chance to erase the giant target on her back. But it means taking one last job for her ex-employers. To her horror, the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.

THE DAILY SHOW (THE BOOK): An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart, the Correspondents, Staff and Guests by Chris Smith (Entertainment/History)
Audiobook available; read by Oliver Wyman, Jay Snyder, Kevin T. Collins, Chris Lutkin, Robert Fass, Lauren Fortgang, Ryan Vincent Anderson, Graham Halstead, Cheryl Smith, Christian Coulson, Tommy Harron and Elece Green
For almost 17 years, “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” brilliantly redefined the borders between television comedy, political satire and opinionated news coverage. It launched the careers of some of today's most significant comedians, highlighted the hypocrisies of the powerful and garnered 23 Emmys. Now the show's behind-the-scenes gags, controversies and camaraderie have been chronicled by the players themselves in this oral history, which takes the reader behind the curtain for all the show's highlights --- from its origins as Comedy Central's underdog late-night program hosted by Craig Kilborn to Jon Stewart's long reign to Trevor Noah's succession. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

DARK FISSURES: A Rick Cahill Novel by Matt Coyle (Thriller)
La Jolla Chief of Police Tony Moretti is convinced that Private Investigator Rick Cahill killed a missing person. With Moretti on his tail and the bank about to foreclose on his house, Rick takes a paying case that will stave off the bank, but pits him against Moretti and the La Jolla Police Department. Brianne Colton, a beautiful country singer, believes that her estranged husband’s suicide was really murder. Each new piece of evidence convinces Rick that she’s right. He breaks his number one rule and falls for Brianne, even as he begins to question her motives. As Moretti cinches the vise tighter, evil forces emerge from the shadows who will do anything to stop Rick from uncovering the truth. Reviewed by Dean Murphy.

DAYS WITHOUT NUMBER by Robert Goddard (Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Gordon Griffin
Nick Paleologus, a coolly efficient Englishman, is summoned home to resolve a dispute that threatens to tear his family apart. His father, Michael, is a retired archaeologist and supposed descendent of the last Emperors of Byzantium. Michael has received a hugely generous offer for the family estate in Cornwall, but refuses to sell --- and refuses to divulge why. Soon the stalemate between Nick’s siblings and their father is tragically broken, and only then do they discover why their father was bound to protect the house at all costs. Their desperate efforts to conceal the truth drag them into a deadly conflict with an unseen and unknown enemy. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

DYING FOR CHRISTMAS by Tammy Cohen (Psychological Thriller)
Out Christmas shopping one December afternoon, Jessica Gould meets the charming Dominic Lacey and impulsively agrees to go home with him for a drink. What follows is a Twelve Days of Christmas from hell as Lacey holds Jessica captive, forcing her to wear his missing wife’s gowns and eat lavish holiday meals. Each day he gifts her with one item from his twisted past --- his dead sister’s favorite toy, disturbing family photos, a box of teeth. As the days pass and the “gifts” become darker and darker, Jessica realizes that Lacey has a plan for her, and he never intends to let her go. But Jessica has a secret of her own --- a secret that may just mean she has a chance to make it out alive. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE FATE OF THE TEARLING by Erika Johansen (Fantasy/Adventure)
Audiobook available, performed by Polly Lee
In less than a year, Kelsea Glynn has transformed from a gawky teenager into a powerful monarch. As she has come into her own as the Queen of the Tearling, the headstrong, visionary leader has also transformed her realm. In her quest to end corruption and restore justice, she has made many enemies. To protect her people from a devastating invasion, Kelsea gave herself and her magical sapphires to her enemy --- and named the Mace, the trusted head of her personal guards, regent in her place. But the Mace will not rest until he and his men rescue their sovereign, imprisoned in Mortmesne. As the suspenseful endgame begins, the fate of Queen Kelsea --- and the Tearling itself --- will finally be revealed. Reviewed by Amy Haddock.

HOW WILL I KNOW YOU? by Jessica Treadway (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Ryan Vincent Anderson
The body of high school senior Joy Enright is discovered in the woods at the edge of a pond. She had been presumed drowned, but an autopsy shows that she was, in fact, strangled. As the investigation unfolds, four characters tell the story from widely divergent perspectives: Susanne, Joy's mother and a professor at the local art college; Martin, a black graduate student suspected of the murder; Harper, Joy's best friend and a potential eyewitness; and Tom, a rescue diver and son-in-law of the town's police chief. As a web of small-town secrets comes to light, a dramatic conclusion reveals the truth about Joy's death. Reviewed by Dunja Bonacci Skenderovic.

IN SUNLIGHT OR IN SHADOW: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper edited by Lawrence Block (Mystery Anthology)
Audiobook available, read by an ensemble cast
"Edward Hopper is surely the greatest American narrative painter. His work bears special resonance for writers and readers, and yet his paintings never tell a story so much as they invite viewers to find for themselves the untold stories within." So says Lawrence Block, who has invited 17 writers to join him in an unprecedented anthology of brand-new stories. Contributors include Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Olen Butler, Michael Connelly, Megan Abbott, Joe R. Lansdale, Jonathan Santlofer, Jeffery Deaver and Lee Child. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

NIGHT WATCH by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen (Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Elisabeth Rogers
Born blind, Kendra Michaels spent the first 20 years of her life living in the darkness. Then, thanks to a revolutionary medical procedure developed by England’s Night Watch Project, she was given the gift of sight. Her highly developed senses (honed during her years in the dark), combined with her new found vision, have made her a remarkable investigator, sought after by law-enforcement agencies all over the country. But her newest case becomes deeply personal as she uncovers the truth about the shadowy organization that has given her so much. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

THE ONE HUNDRED NIGHTS OF HERO by Isabel Greenberg (Graphic Novel)
In the Empire of Migdal Bavel, Cherry is married to Jerome, a wicked man who makes a diabolical wager with his friend, Manfred: If Manfred can seduce Cherry in 100 nights, he can have his castle --- and Cherry. But what Jerome doesn't know is that Cherry is in love with her maid, Hero. The two women hatch a plan: Hero, a member of the League of Secret Story Tellers, will distract Manfred by regaling him with a mesmerizing tale each night for 100 nights, keeping him at bay. Those tales are beautifully depicted here, touching on themes of love, betrayal, loyalty and madness. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.

PRINCE LESTAT AND THE REALMS OF ATLANTIS: The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice (Paranormal Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Simon Vance
At the novel's center is the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt: hero, leader, inspirer, irresistible force, irrepressible spirit, battling (and ultimately reconciling with) a strange otherworldly form that has somehow taken possession of Lestat's undead body and soul. This ancient and mysterious power and unearthly spirit of vampire lore has all the force, history and insidious reach of the unknowable Universe. It is through this spirit that we come to be told the hypnotic tale of a great sea power of ancient times --- a mysterious heaven on earth situated on a boundless continent --- and how and why this force came to build and rule the great legendary empire of centuries ago that thrived in the Atlantic Ocean. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

THE PRINCESS DIARIST by Carrie Fisher (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Carrie Fisher and Billie Lourd
When Carrie Fisher recently discovered the journals she kept during the filming of the first Star Wars movie, she was astonished to see what they had preserved --- plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized. Today, her fame as an author, actress and pop-culture icon is indisputable, but in 1977, Carrie Fisher was just a (sort-of) regular teenager. With these excerpts from her handwritten notebooks, THE PRINCESS DIARIST is Fisher’s intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time --- and what developed behind the scenes. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.

SETTLE FOR MORE by Megyn Kelly (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Megyn Kelly
In the two and half years since her show “The Kelly File” premiered on the Fox News Channel, Megyn Kelly has cemented her reputation as one of the most respected and hardest hitting journalists in America. Now in her debut book, Kelly goes behind the scenes of the stories and the storms that have made her one of the most talked-about public figures in America. From growing up in a tough love family where she had to earn her praise, to her father’s sudden, tragic death while she was still in high school, to the news stories that launched her journalism career, Kelly traces the values and experiences --- both good and bad --- that landed her in the anchor chair. Reviewed by Allison Sharp.

STONE COFFIN written by Kjell Eriksson, translated by Ebba Segerberg (Mystery)
One sunny summer morning, a young woman and her six-year-old daughter are run over by a car. Both are killed immediately. Is it an accident, or did someone kill them on purpose? The same morning, the husband of the deceased young woman disappears. During the police investigation, it turns out that the husband had recently bought a property that nobody knew anything about. A few days later, a macabre discovery is made in a forest nearby. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

WHO WATCHETH: An Inspector Irene Huss Investigation written by Helene Tursten, translated by Marlaine Delargy (Mystery)
A woman is found dead in a cemetery. Just a few days before her death, the victim had received a flower, an unintelligible note, and a photograph of herself. Detective Inspector Irene Huss and her colleagues on the Violent Crimes Unit have neither clue nor motive to pursue, and when similar murders follow, their search for the killer becomes increasingly desperate. Meanwhile, strange things have been going on at home for Irene: first the rose bush in her garden is mangled, then she receives a threatening package with no return address. Is Irene being paranoid, or is she next on the killer’s list? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

GAP LIFE by John Coy (Family, Fiction, Young Adult 12+, Youth Fiction)
Cray got into the same college his father attended and is expected to go. And to go pre-med. And to get started right away. His parents are paying the tuition. It should be an easy decision. But it's not. All Cray knows is that what's expected of him doesn't feel right. The pressure to make a decision --- from his family, his friends --- is huge. Until he meets Rayne, a girl who is taking a gap year, and who helps him find his first real job, at a home of four adults with developmental disabilities. What he learns about himself and others will turn out to be more than any university could teach him --- and twice as difficult. Reviewed by Ashley D., Teen Board Member.