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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
August 10, 2007
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This Week on Bookreporter.com |
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Round and Round the Boxes Go...May I Sit Down Soon!
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Nancy Horan, Author of LOVING FRANK
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New Featured One to Watch Author: Gail Tsukiyama, Author of THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS
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Our Summer Beach Bag Contest: Spotlight This Week on HARMONY by Joanna Goodman
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Featured One to Watch Author: Sarah Addison Allen, Author of GARDEN SPELLS
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Featured One to Watch Author: Elizabeth Joy Arnold, Author of PIECES OF MY SISTER'S LIFE
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Featured One to Watch Author: Robert Goddard, Author of NEVER GO BACK
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Mark Gimenez, Author of THE ABDUCTION
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Joseph Finder, Author of POWER PLAY
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: M.J. Rose, Author of THE REINCARNATIONIST
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Raymond Khoury, Author of THE SANCTUARY
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Featured Debut Suspense/Thriller Author: Chelsea Cain, Author of HEARTSICK
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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL by Fern Michaels is Now in Stores
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This Week's Reviews and Features
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Poll, Question and Word of Mouth
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Round and Round the Boxes Go...May I Sit Down Soon!
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Week three of construction. Memo to anyone planning a renovation: it's insane to do this if you have any possessions in the space! We have carried every piece of office furniture around the new combined office area at least three times as we stayed a step ahead of the workers at each stage of this project. On Thursday afternoon we had moved everything out of my future office after stacking it ALL in there a mere 36 hours earlier so carpet laying could be facilitated in the rest of the space.
I ended up working for a couple of hours while standing up at the one table that we had not yet moved. As all the data lines are being reworked and thus were not connected to the T1 line, I was relying on my Verizon Air Card to connect to the Internet. I have to tell you, I totally endorse this product. I have managed to connect online pretty much anywhere with it this summer even while I am being driven in the car. My son, Greg, and our intern, Ian, found this moment rather amusing, thus below we are sharing the picture that documents it.
I am buying donuts by the dozens for sugar jolts of energy for the crew, trying to get the project wrapped up. If all goes right, we could wrap this up by Wednesday at the latest. "Just working" instead of managing this project AND working will be such a delight. Actually, working during the day instead of at night would be just amazing.
Our staff again pulled together a remote update, but once again you will not detect a missed note or beat. Our new featured One to Watch author is Gail Tsukiyama, whose new book THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS will be in stores on September 4th. I love novels that take place over a long period of time, thus giving you time to truly get to know the characters. Here, the characters are two brothers and the women they come to love. It's set in Tokyo, and it opens before the war and rolls on from there.
If you enjoy books that are rife with history, information about another culture and strong interpersonal relationships, like Khaled Hosseini's A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, Lisa See's PEONY IN LOVE or Anita Amirrezvani's THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS, then you will enjoy reading Tsukiyama's work. Many book clubs love discussing her books, which include DREAMING WATER, THE LANGUAGE OF THREADS and NIGHT OF MANY DREAMS. We have 10 copies to give away to readers who are interested in an early read. Fill out the form here by Friday, August 17th to enter your name in this week's contest. A note to our Canadian readers. The signup form has been tweaked to accommodate your entries. Thanks for your patience with this.
Notation here. For folks like me where title fusion is a weakness, meaning I have the ability to completely mix up titles and author names, note that it helps to picture this title in your head as a street with many blossoms lest you confuse it with A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini, for which you must see multiple suns in your head. For the record, it's well known around our office that any title I write that has more than two words needs to be triple-checked during fact-checking. I have made up some riveting titles only to learn later that they were not even close to what the actual title is!
I know I am not alone on this. A woman I sat next to the other day at lunch told me that she was reading "The Story of Many Sunsets" by the author of THE KITE RUNNER. The scary thing is that I knew what she was talking about when she said the wrong title even before she said the author's name!
I hope you enjoy this week's interview with Nancy Horan, the author of LOVING FRANK. I loved this book. I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy back in June and the opportunity to talk about the book with her. Reading this interview was a nice bonus that gave me even more insight into her work.
Our Beach Bag book this week is HARMONY by Joanna Goodman, the story of a young mother learning to cope with her baby's club feet as she also comes to grips with other parts of her life. Cindy Crosby reviews it for us, and we have a beach bag filled with relaxing and soothing goodies, which you can enter to win here. The answer to the question you need to answer for your entry will give you some interesting trivia. Curious? Read on. For next week's contest we will have a collection of books for you to win. What titles are in this collection? Well, you'll just have to check back to see what's included! Note to our Canadian and other foreign readers. As customs costs are cost-prohibitive, we cannot ship the contents of beach bags to Canadian readers, thus we are limiting this entry form to only U.S. readers. Our apologies.
This week we have a review of a book that I enjoyed on my North Carolina trip, THE REST OF HER LIFE, by Laura Moriarty, as well as an interview with Laura. We sat together at the Booksense Lunch at BEA back in June, and I found her to be such fun to talk to. I was late to the lunch due to another engagement, and I slipped into the one open chair not knowing the author guest from the table was seated next to me. My seatmate's opening line? A rushed whisper, "Oh no, I did not think you were coming. I ate your butter." I whispered back, "No problem. You saved me the calories, but stay away from my cheesecake." When I later figured out she was the author of this new title and I knew her work from THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING, we both had a good laugh and some terrific conversation.
THE REST OF HER LIFE is the story of one of my own worst fears. A young girl accidently kills someone while driving, and the impact of her action haunts her and her family as they try to rebuild themselves after the horror of this tragedy. I always think about how someone might make just one fatal mistake and how it will impact his or her life. This story will give you pause. We think that teens may enjoy this as much as adults, thus it could be a good bonding kind of mother-daughter read.
Last weekend I read GETTING RID OF MATTHEW by Jane Fallon. She's a British author whose very witty book is a great hammock read. The story goes like this. An unmarried young woman has had a passionate affair with an older man for four years. She always fantasizes a life with him, and then one night he shows up at her door telling her he has left his wife for her. She is daunted by this prospect, and as he crowds his way into her life all she can think about is how she wants him GONE...NOW. The twists and turns of this story will make you laugh at each one.
In a book group and looking for some great reading suggestions for your book club? Our ReadingGroupGuides.com website has been updated with some terrific new selections for you to explore. In the newsletter there I share some thoughts about the classics, as well as my fun afternoon at a charity lunch this week where Adriana Trigiani was the speaker. This escape from the furniture dance came as I was ordered out of the office for carpeting installation. What better way to celebrate this than with a favorite author?
There was time for maybe three rows of knitting this week with the one box, two box, three box shuffle. My latest project is a Ruana, which is a shawl that drapes like a jacket. I am having fun with this project, which I am using this wild Prism yarn to create. May there be knitting and reading time this weekend! Actually, I fear that when I hit the couch or the hammock or the pool float this weekend, I may just fall asleep. Thus, maybe I should just remain standing at the table in my office from which I had such success this week! Have a great summer weekend and a terrific week.
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Nancy Horan, Author of LOVING FRANK
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Nancy Horan’s debut novel, LOVING FRANK, is a poignant fictional account of Frank Lloyd Wright’s controversial affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Bronwyn Miller, Horan explains how having lived in the renowned architect’s hometown inspired her to write this book and describes some of the pressures and difficulties she experienced in her attempts to portray her characters faithfully and accurately. She also discusses Mamah’s situation in the context of accepted women’s roles in the early 20th century and speculates on why little is known about this real-life relationship, despite its prominence in the news during that time period.
LOVING FRANK by Nancy Horan (Historical Fiction)
Nancy Horan's debut novel is a fictionalized account of Frank Lloyd Wright's relationship with Mamah Borthwick Cheney, who commissions the renowned architect to design a new home for her. During the construction of the house, a powerful attraction develops between Mamah and Frank; the two become lovers, even though they are each married with children. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
-Click here to read a review of LOVING FRANK.
-Click here to read an excerpt from LOVING FRANK.
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Click here to read our interview with Nancy Horan.
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New Featured One to Watch Author: Gail Tsukiyama, Author of THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS
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Gail Tsukiyama, who has written such bestsellers as WOMEN OF THE SILK and THE SAMURAI'S GARDEN, is our newest One to Watch author. Her latest novel, THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS, takes place in Tokyo, where two orphaned brothers are growing up with their loving grandparents. Life seems full of promise for these ambitious young men --- but then the attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything. This incredibly moving story that spans almost 30 years will be available in stores on September 4th.
We have 10 advance reading copies of THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, August 17th.
More about THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS:
It is Tokyo in 1939. On the Street of a Thousand Blossoms, two orphaned brothers are growing up with their loving grandparents, who inspire them to dream of a future firmly rooted in tradition. The older boy, Hiroshi, shows unusual skill at the national obsession of sumo wrestling, while Kenji is fascinated by the art of creating hand-carved masks for actors in the Noh theater.
Across town, a renowned sumo master, Sho Tanaka, lives with his wife and their two young daughters: the delicate, daydreaming Aki and her independent sister, Haru. Life seems full of promise as Kenji begins an informal apprenticeship with the most famous mask-maker in Japan and Hiroshi receives a coveted invitation to train with Tanaka. But then Pearl Harbor changes everything. As the ripples of war spread to both families’ quiet neighborhoods, all of the generations must put their dreams on hold --- and then find their way in a new Japan.
In an exquisitely moving story that spans almost thirty years, Gail Tsukiyama draws us irresistibly into the world of the brothers and the women who love them. It is a world of tradition and change, of heartbreaking loss and surprising hope, and of the impact of events beyond their control on ordinary, decent men and women. Above all, THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS is a masterpiece about love and family from a glorious storyteller at the height of her powers.
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Click here to read more about Gail Tsukiyama and THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS.
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Our Summer Beach Bag Contest: Spotlight This Week on HARMONY by Joanna Goodman
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Every week from May 18th through August 24th a different title in the Bookreporter.com Beach Bag of Books promotion will be featured with a review and contest prize --- a beach bag stocked with that book, plus summertime essentials that tie in to its theme. Five FABULOUS beach bags will be given away each week, as well as five copies of the book to additional winners.
Our thirteenth spotlighted title is HARMONY by Joanna Goodman, an intriguing tale of one young mother’s pursuit of perfection, marital happiness and peace with her past. We are going with a colorful and soothing theme this week. In a yellow plaid mesh beach bag, winners will find a yellow striped towel, H2O+ Raspberry Guava Moisturizing Body Balm and bath salts, a yellow candle, two snazzy thermal drink holders and an oversized beach ball pillow, as well as a copy of HARMONY by Joanna Goodman. We have five to give away, as well as five additional prizes of copies of HARMONY.
To enter to win, answer the question below:
Who are the four famous people who overcame club feet whose names are listed on the poster tacked to the wall at the Parents of Club Foot Babies support group?
You can find the answer by reading an excerpt here.
To enter, fill out this form by Thursday, August 16th at 11:59PM.
HARMONY by Joanna Goodman (Fiction)
Joanna Goodman unwinds an intriguing tale of one young mother’s pursuit of perfection, marital happiness and peace with her past. Unable to accept her beloved baby son’s physical defects, bored with her marriage and troubled by secrets from her past, Anne struggles to fill the emptiness in her life while gradually coming to realize appreciation for what she has. Reviewed by Cindy Crosby.
-Read more about HARMONY and Joanna Goodman here.
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Click here to read all the details about our Summer Beach Bag contest.
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Featured One to Watch Author: Sarah Addison Allen, Author of GARDEN SPELLS
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Our second featured One to Watch author is Sarah Addison Allen, whose debut novel, GARDEN SPELLS, hits stores on August 28th. In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it.
-Click here to read an excerpt from GARDEN SPELLS.
-Click here to read Sarah Addison Allen's bio.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about GARDEN SPELLS:
The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers. Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures.
A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants --- from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets and the pansies that make children thoughtful, to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbor. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys --- except for Claire’s rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before.
When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire’s quiet life is turned upside down --- along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart. Together again in the house they grew up in, Sydney takes stock of all she left behind, as Claire struggles to heal the wounds of the past. And soon the sisters realize they must deal with their common legacy --- if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom --- or with each other.
Enchanting and heartfelt, this captivating novel is sure to cast a spell with a style all its own….
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Click here to read more about Sarah Addison Allen and GARDEN SPELLS.
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Featured One to Watch Author: Elizabeth Joy Arnold, Author of PIECES OF MY SISTER'S LIFE
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Our third featured One to Watch author is Elizabeth Joy Arnold, whose debut novel hit shelves on July 31st. PIECES OF MY SISTER'S LIFE is the story of twins who were inseparable until their 17th birthday, when their lives on Block Island were shattered. Thirteen years later, one sister must put their differences aside to rally behind her twin when she really needs her.
-Click here to read a third excerpt from PIECES OF MY SISTER'S LIFE.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for PIECES OF MY SISTER'S LIFE.
-Click here to read Elizabeth Joy Arnold's bio.
-Visit the author's website, www.ElizabethJoyArnold.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about PIECES OF MY SISTER'S LIFE:
Two sisters who shared everything. One unforgivable moment. And a second chance…
There’s something to talk about in every chapter of Elizabeth Joy Arnold’s poignant, insightful debut novel --- the perfect summer read for all those who loved Elisabeth Robinson’s THE TRUE AND OUTSTANDING ADVENTURES OF THE HUNT SISTERS, Judy Blume’s SUMMER SISTERS and Jodi Picoult’s MY SISTER'S KEEPER.
Once, Kerry and Eve Barnard did everything together: sailing the Block Island harbor with their father, listening to their neighbor Justin’s magical fairy tales, and all the while longing for their absent mother. They were twin girls arm in arm, secrets entwined between two hearts. Until the summer of their seventeenth birthday, when their extraordinary bond was shattered. And thirteen years later, it will take all the courage they can summon to put the pieces back together --- at a time when it matters most.…
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Click here to read more about Elizabeth Joy Arnold and PIECES OF MY SISTER'S LIFE.
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Featured One to Watch Author: Robert Goddard, Author of NEVER GO BACK
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Our fourth featured One to Watch author is Robert Goddard, whose latest novel NEVER GO BACK will be available on August 28th. In this spellbinding mystery by the master of “the clever twist,” a group of ex-RAF comrades journey to a Scottish castle for a reunion. But by the time they reach their destination, two of them are dead.
-Click here to read an excerpt from NEVER GO BACK.
-Click here to read Robert Goddard's bio.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about NEVER GO BACK:
Harry Barnett is leading a contented life in Vancouver with his wife and daughter when he is brought back to England by the death of his mother. He intends to spend just a few days sorting out her affairs when a chance meeting he will regret for the rest of his life makes him change his plans. Two old acquaintances from his National Service days track Harry down to his mother’s house --- the last address they had for him. A lavish reunion has been organized to mark the fiftieth anniversary of their RAF days. Harry decides to go.
During the war, Harry and his fellow RAF conscripts spent three months in a Scottish castle where they acted as guinea pigs in a psychological experiment. The reunion is to take place in the same castle. It will be a chance to see friends, settle old scores and lay a few ghosts to rest.
The party begins on the train up to Aberdeen, until the apparent suicide of one of their number shatters the holiday atmosphere. Their arrival in Scotland seems under a cloud, and when another comrade dies soon after their arrival, Harry is gripped by a sense of foreboding. As well, the recollections of the old comrades of their time in the castle are frighteningly different, and unexplained events from 1955 still haunt them. As Harry tries to solve the mystery of what really happened fifty years ago, he uncovers an extraordinary secret that convinces him he will never leave the castle alive.
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Click here to read more about Robert Goddard and NEVER GO BACK.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Mark Gimenez, Author of THE ABDUCTION
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One of our featured Suspense/Thriller authors is Mark Gimenez, who wrote the bestselling THE COLOR OF LAW. His second novel, THE ABDUCTION, is an explosive thriller that revolves around the kidnapping of a young girl and the reunion of an estranged father and son who race against time to try to rescue her. The book will be available in stores beginning August 28th.
We have 20 advance reading copies of THE ABDUCTION to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, August 17th.
More about THE ABDUCTION:
Ben Brice lives alone in the New Mexico wilderness where he battles memories of Vietnam with oceans of Jim Beam. Miles away in Texas, his estranged son, John, an Internet geek-turned-billionaire, half watches his daughter Gracie's soccer game while conducting business on his cell phone. When her mother Elizabeth arrives, the coach reports that her uncle has already collected Gracie. But Gracie has no uncle --- she was kidnapped.
From international bestselling author Mark Gimenez comes a terrifying child-in-jeopardy thriller in which dark family secrets make the finding of ten-year-old Gracie Brice more uncertain with every passing minute. And so begins a furious race against time to save Gracie from unknown kidnappers. With the FBI camped out in the Brice mansion, the family offers a reward of $25 million. Somehow, Ben and John Brice must find Gracie before it is too late. As the story unfolds with riveting twists and turns, the reader discovers that behind the kidnapping is an extraordinary government plot that could change the course of American history. And time is running out…
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Click here to read more about Mark Gimenez and THE ABDUCTION.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Joseph Finder, Author of POWER PLAY
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In the 15 years since the publication of his first novel, THE MOSCOW CLUB, Joseph Finder has established himself as one of the world’s best and most successful thriller writers. His 2006 novel, KILLER INSTINCT, made bestseller lists around the country, as did his two previous books, COMPANY MAN and PARANOIA. His latest effort is POWER PLAY, a non-stop, pulse-pounding, high-stakes thriller that will be in stores on August 21st.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from POWER PLAY.
-Click here to read fast facts about Joseph Finder.
-Click here to read Joseph Finder's bio.
-Click here to see Joseph Finder's backlist.
-Visit the author's website, www.JosephFinder.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about POWER PLAY:
It was the perfect retreat for a troubled company. No cell phones. No BlackBerrys. No cars. Just a luxurious, remote lodge surrounded by thousands of miles of wilderness.
All the top officers of the Hammond Aerospace Corporation are there. And one last-minute substitute --- a junior executive named Jake Landry. He’s a steady, modest and taciturn guy with a gift for keeping his head down and a turbulent past he’s trying to put behind him.
Jake’s uncomfortable with all the power players he's surrounded by, with all their swaggering and posturing. The only person there he knows is the female CEO’s assistant --- his ex-girlfriend, Ali.
When a band of backwoods hunters crash the opening-night dinner, the executives suddenly find themselves held hostage by armed men who will do anything, to anyone, to get their hands on the largest ransom in history. Now, terrified and desperate and cut off from the rest of the world, the captives are at the mercy of hard men with guns who may not be what they seem.
The corporate big shots hadn’t wanted Jake there. But now he’s the only one who can save them.
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Click here to read more about Joseph Finder and POWER PLAY.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: M.J. Rose, Author of THE REINCARNATIONIST
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M.J. Rose is the international bestselling author of nine novels, including LIP SERVICE and three titles in the Butterfield Institute series: THE HALO EFFECT, THE DELILAH COMPLEX and THE VENUS FIX. Her latest, THE REINCARNATIONIST, is a spellbinding, psychologically riveting epic thriller of secrets, history and murder that will challenge the way we think about who we are and who we were. It will be available in stores on August 28th.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE REINCARNATIONIST.
-Click here to read fast facts about M.J. Rose.
-Click here to read M.J. Rose's bio.
-Click here to see M.J. Rose's backlist.
-Visit the author's website, www.MJRose.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about THE REINCARNATIONIST:
A bomb in Rome, a flash of bluish-white light and photojournalist Josh Ryder's world exploded. From that instant nothing would ever be the same.
As Josh recovers, his mind is increasingly invaded with thoughts that have the emotion, the intensity, the intimacy of memories. But they are not his memories. They are ancient...and violent. A battery of medical and psychological tests can't explain Josh's baffling symptoms. And the memories have an urgency he can't ignore --- pulling him to save a woman named Sabina...and the treasures she is protecting.
But who is Sabina?
Desperate for answers, Josh turns to the world-renowned Phoenix Foundation --- a research facility that scientifically documents cases of past life experiences. His findings there lead him to an archaeological dig and to Professor Gabriella Chase, who has discovered an ancient tomb --- a tomb with a powerful secret that threatens to merge the past with the present. Here, the dead call out to the living, and murders of the past become murders of the present.
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Click here to read more about M.J. Rose and THE REINCARNATIONIST.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Raymond Khoury, Author of THE SANCTUARY
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Raymond Khoury's debut novel THE LAST TEMPLAR was an international bestseller. His second work of fiction is THE SANCTUARY, and it releases on August 21st. In this powerful thriller, a geneticist and a CIA agent on a deadly quest to find the most dangerous book in the world discover a secret that has destroyed everyone in its path for centuries.
-Click here to read a third excerpt from THE SANCTUARY.
-Click here to read fast facts about Raymond Khoury.
-Click here to read Raymond Khoury's bio.
-Click here to see Raymond Khoury's backlist.
-Visit the author's website, www.RaymondKhoury.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about THE SANCTUARY:
Naples, 1750. In the dead of night, three men with swords burst into the palazzo of a marquis. Their leader, the Prince of San Severo, accuses the marquis of being an imposter, and demands to know a secret only the marquis harbors. In the fight that ensues, the false marquis escapes over the rooftops of Naples, leaving behind a burning palazzo and a raging prince now obsessed with finding his quarry at any cost.
Baghdad, 2003. An army unit on a routine mission makes a horrifying discovery: a state-of-the-art, concealed lab where dozens --- men, women, children --- have died, the subjects of gruesome experiments. The mysterious scientist they were after, a man believed to be working on a bioweapon and known only as the hakeem --- the doctor --- escapes, taking with him the startling truth about his work. A puzzling clue is left behind: a circular symbol of a snake feeding on its own tail.
As the power of the symbol comes to light, revealing the centuries of destruction left in its wake, one unsuspecting woman stands at the center of a conspiracy that could change the world forever. In the masterful hands of international bestseller Raymond Khoury, THE SANCTUARY delivers the same rapid-fire suspense and provocative scholarship that made THE LAST TEMPLAR a coast-to-coast blockbuster.
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Click here to read more about Raymond Khoury and THE SANCTUARY.
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Featured Debut Suspense/Thriller Author: Chelsea Cain, Author of HEARTSICK
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We are pleased to announce that Chelsea Cain is our newest featured Debut Suspense/Thriller author. In her first novel, HEARTSICK, which releases on September 4th, Portland detective Archie Sheridan is finding it difficult to stay away from the beautiful serial killer who tortured him for 10 days before turning herself in. When another killer begins snatching teenage girls off the streets of Portland, Archie has to pull himself together enough to lead the new task force investigating the murders.
-Click here to read an excerpt from HEARTSICK.
-Click here to read Chelsea Cain's bio.
-Click here to read critical praise for HEARTSICK.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about HEARTSICK:
Damaged Portland detective Archie Sheridan spent ten years tracking Gretchen Lowell, a beautiful serial killer, but in the end she was the one who caught him. Two years ago, Gretchen kidnapped Archie and tortured him for ten days, but instead of killing him, she mysteriously decided to let him go. She turned herself in, and now Gretchen has been locked away for the rest of her life, while Archie is in a prison of another kind --- addicted to pain pills, unable to return to his old life, powerless to get those ten horrific days off his mind. Archie’s a different person, his estranged wife says, and he knows she’s right. He continues to visit Gretchen in prison once a week, saying that only he can get her to confess as to the whereabouts of more of her victims, but even he knows the truth --- he can’t stay away.
When another killer begins snatching teenage girls off the streets of Portland, Archie has to pull himself together enough to lead the new task force investigating the murders. A hungry young newspaper reporter, Susan Ward, begins profiling Archie and the investigation, which sparks a deadly game between Archie, Susan, the new killer, and even Gretchen. They need to catch a killer, and maybe somehow then Archie can free himself from Gretchen, once and for all. Either way, HEARTSICK makes for one of the most extraordinary suspense debuts in recent memory.
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Click here to read more about Chelsea Cain and HEARTSICK.
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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL by Fern Michaels is Now in Stores
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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL by Fern Michaels (Romance)
In UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, the extraordinary new novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels, a young woman discovers that some ties to the past --- and to a long-forgotten love --- are not easily broken.
Don’t miss the most captivating novel of the summer!
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Click here to read more about UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.
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This Week's Reviews and Features
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SPOOK COUNTRY by William Gibson (Fiction)
William Gibson’s new novel (following PATTERN RECOGNITION) is a complex story filled with shadowy characters and both solved and unsolved mysteries. He adds touches of satire and more than a bit of socio-political commentary for a unique and thought-provoking look at America in the age of “the war on terror.” Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
-Visit William Gibson's website, www.WilliamGibsonBooks.com.
THE REST OF HER LIFE by Laura Moriarty (Fiction)
Leigh is the mother of high-achieving, popular high school senior Kara. Their relationship is already strained for reasons Leigh does not fully understand when, in a moment of carelessness, Kara makes a mistake that ends in tragedy --- the effects of which not only divide Leigh’s family, but polarize the entire community. Reviewed by Lourdes Orive.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE REST OF HER LIFE.
-Click here to read an interview with Laura Moriarty.
THE SEVENTH SACRAMENT by David Hewson (Thriller)
In the heat of a Rome summer, a seven-year-old boy vanishes in the dank catacombs beneath the city. Now 14 years have passed, and in David Hewson’s new crime novel the heart-wrenching case has come back to life as Detective Nic Costa and his fellow investigators search through layers of their city’s history --- for a killer leaving a trail of bodies, lust and revenge. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
CRITICAL by Robin Cook (Medical Thriller)
Robin Cook’s newest medical thriller is as riveting and tumultuous as the 26 he has already written. In this book he shines a light on the dangers inherent in specialized hospitals --- and as the body count rises, a race against time ensues that is attempting to save lives, not lose them. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
JUSTICE DENIED: A J. P. Beaumont Novel by J. A. Jance (Mystery)
Seattle investigator J. P. Beaumont must find out what really happened in the shooting death of an ex–con, while Beau's lover and fellow cop, Mel, is looking into cold cases in order to close them once and for all. Soon, the two begin to uncover a nightmarish conspiracy that could involve people in high places, even within the halls of law enforcement. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
DEATH OF A MURDERER by Rupert Thomson (Fiction)
A career policeman is selected to guard the body of one of Britain’s most hated killers. When his mind takes him places he hasn’t been in years, is it the ghost of the murderer haunting him, or is it his conscience? Rupert Thomson’s new novel isn’t so much a mystery as a catalyst to honest introspection. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
MAD DASH by Patricia Gaffney (Fiction)
Mrs. Bender, one of the characters in Patricia Gaffney’s MAD DASH, sums it up when she asks the heroine, Dash Bateman, how many years she’s been married. Dash answers, “Almost twenty years,” and Mrs. Bender replies, “Oh, yes, well, that’s when it starts to get pretty serious, isn’t it?” Told first through the voice of Dash, and then from her husband Andrew’s point of view, this is a story about a marriage that unravels for a time. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
ONCE UPON A QUINCEANERA: Coming of Age in the USA by Julia Alvarez (Memoir/Social Science)
Novelist Julia Alvarez looks at the Latin American coming-of-age party known as the “quinceanera” and examines its cultural legacy through today's modern girls. The must-haves for a “quince” are becoming as numerous and costly as a prom or wedding. Yet this elaborate ritual also hearkens back to traditions from native countries and communities, offering young Latinas a chance to connect with their heritage. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
AMMUNITION by Ken Bruen (Mystery)
Irish mystery writer Ken Bruen returns with the seventh novel in his police procedural series set in London. Inspector Brant is the target of an assassination attempt. The suspects are limitless and sympathy for Brant next to nonexistent. Brant might be down but is certainly not out, as lethal chaos swarms around the constables. Reviewed by Tom Callahan.
BAD MONKEYS by Matt Ruff (Thriller)
Jane Charlotte has been arrested for murder and tells police that she is a member of a secret organization devoted to fighting evil; her division is called the Department for the Final Disposition of Irredeemable Persons. This confession earns Jane a trip to the jail's psychiatric wing, where a doctor attempts to determine whether she is lying, crazy --- or playing a different game altogether. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE INTRUDERS by Michael Marshall (Thriller)
For Jack Whalen, it all starts with a visit from a childhood friend, now a lawyer, who asks for help on an odd case involving a scientist who has disappeared after members of his family are brutally murdered. Meanwhile, Jack’s wife has suddenly vanished. And in Oregon a missing girl has been found, but she is not an innocent victim and is far from defenseless. Unusual events, all leading to the same place. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE RIVER WIFE by Jonis Agee (Fiction)
Jonis Agee explores history, legacy and relations between the sexes in a multi-generational novel as vast and powerful as the mighty Mississippi. THE RIVER WIFE tells the story of four generations of women whose lives are intertwined with charismatic, larger-than-life Jacques Ducharme. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
LETTER FROM POINT CLEAR by Dennis McFarland (Fiction)
In his sixth novel, Dennis McFarland paints a convincing portrait of three adult siblings trying to come to terms with a painful family legacy. A trip by the two older children to their childhood home, now occupied by their sister and her new husband, forms the backdrop for this engaging story. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
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Read this week's reviews and features here.
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Poll, Question and Word of Mouth
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Poll:
Do you re-read your favorite books?
All of the time
Some of the time
No, but this is a good idea.
Never
-Click here to answer our poll.
Question:
Which books (name up to 3) have you read more than once?
-Click here to answer our Question of the Week.
Word of Mouth:
Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.
This week we have three great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of BEYOND REACH by Karin Slaughter, PLAY DIRTY by Sandra Brown and SPOOK COUNTRY by William Gibson.
Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on August 17th.
-Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.
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Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by August 31, 2007 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: BEYOND REACH by Karin Slaughter, BONES TO ASHES by Kathy Reichs, THE CAREFUL USE OF COMPLIMENTS: An Isabel Dalhousie Novel by Alexander McCall Smith, PLAY DIRTY by Sandra Brown and SPOOK COUNTRY by William Gibson. Tara from Ballston Lake, NY was last month's newsletter winner. She won THE SECRET SERVANT by Daniel Silva, THE EVER-RUNNING MAN: A Sharon McCone Mystery by Marcia Muller, KILLER WEEKEND by Ridley Pearson, THE QUICKIE by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge and THE WATER'S LOVELY by Ruth Rendell.
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