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January 11, 2008


Bookreporter.com Newsletter

January 11, 2008

This Week on Bookreporter.com

The Liberty Bell and The Librarians

Author Talk: Geraldine Brooks, Author of PEOPLE OF THE BOOK

Author Talk: Eric Weiner, Author of THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS

New Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Lawrence Goldstone, Author of THE ANATOMY OF DECEPTION

New Featured One to Watch Author: Alan Drew, Author of GARDENS OF WATER

New Featured One to Watch Author: Julie Buxbaum, Author of THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE

Featured One to Watch Author: Eli Gottlieb, Author of NOW YOU SEE HIM

Featured One to Watch Authors: Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack, Authors of A VERSION OF THE TRUTH

Featured One to Watch Author: Ron Leshem, Author of BEAUFORT

Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Beverly Barton, Author of THE MURDER GAME

Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Kevin O'Brien, Author of ONE LAST SCREAM
Now in Stores: WHEN THE MORNING COMES by Cindy Woodsmall

What's New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com

This Week's Reviews

Poll, Question and Word of Mouth

Quick Links to Features On The Book Report Network
 
Bookreporter.com
Past Reviews
Can't See the Graphics? Read This Newsletter Online
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Promotion
Debut Suspense/Thriller One to Watch Promotion
Mystery Mayhem Promotion

Historical Fiction Promotion

One to Watch Promotion
Books Into Movies
Bestseller Lists
Coming Soon
New in Paperback
ReadingGroupGuides.com

Summer Beach Bag of Books Promotion


The Liberty Bell and The Librarians

I am writing this newsletter from Philadelphia where I am attending the American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting. It's a nice way to jumpstart the year. I loved going to the library when I was growing up, so it's always great fun for me to have a chance to meet with librarians and hear about the books and authors they are excited about.

Monday morning I am looking forward to moderating a panel about book clubs with panelists Shireen Dodson (THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB), Elizabeth Noble (THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW, coming in April) Victoria Lustbader (STONE CREEK, coming in May) and Jennifer Hart, who writes the very clever blog, Book Club Girl. If you are a librarian reading this and you will be at ALA, I would love to meet you. Shoot me a note as I will be reading email while I am traveling thanks to my BlackBerry. Immediately after our panel is the annual press conference where the winners of the prestigious awards like the Newbery and the Caldecott are announced. I always have wanted to attend this as people say it's a lot of fun. Voting is done with strict secrecy (I guess this is like not talking in the library!), but rumors will abound all weekend until the final announcements are made. We'll have the winners for you next week!

This afternoon I will see a presentation with both Geraldine Brooks, the author of PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, which we are reviewing this week (we also are running an interview with Brooks), and Mary Doria Russell, whose new book DREAMERS OF THE DAY will be out on March 11th.

For all of you who have been following my adventures with my older son applying to college, I am VERY happy to share that he was accepted for early decision by Fordham University, his first choice, right before we left for Christmas. He is wildly excited, and this made for a very relaxed, upbeat holiday for all of us. Fordham is my alma mater, as well as that of two of our Bookreporter.com staffers, so this was especially nice. When we got the news, I hustled over to the bookstore and brought him home a baseball cap, a shirt and a sticker for his car, which he just loved. I joked that it was the first of MANY purchases in that bookstore. It was a nice way to celebrate! As the campus is not far from our office, he is plotting how to get his laundry in my car every Thursday night to be returned clean the following Monday. I am plotting how he will intern for us and recruit his friends. It's nice when we BOTH have motives.

This week we have an interview with Eric Weiner, whose book, THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World, is about his travels around the world in search of answers to the questions: What are the essential ingredients for the good life? Why are some places happier than others? How are we shaped by our surroundings? Why can't airlines serve a decent meal? It's a book that is both sharp and witty, and it's reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott this week. You can read more about Eric and see some terrific photos he shot during his travels at EricWeinerBooks.com.

We are launching three new features this week. Our new featured Suspense/Thriller author is Lawrence Goldstone, author of THE ANATOMY OF DECEPTION. This is a gripping story set in 19th century Philadelphia, in which a doctor must track down a serial killer. I am enjoying the period details as much as the story. Goldstone writes so vividly that I felt myself to be there. I always say that I never enjoyed studying history, but place characters in it and I am completely rapt. We have 20 copies 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, January 25th.

We also have two new featured One to Watch authors this week. Our first is Alan Drew, whose debut novel, GARDENS OF WATER, tells the powerful story of a Kurdish family and the tensions it must face between tradition, culture and faith. I read this novel last fall and immediately began pressing advance reading copies of it into people's hands. I had the pleasure of meeting Alan at a luncheon where he shared more background on what prompted him to write this book. I look forward to sharing this book with you in the weeks to come. We have 10 copies 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, January 18th.

Our second new featured One to Watch author is Julie Buxbaum, whose debut novel, THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE, tells the story of a heroine who will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has loved and lost and loved again. I read this book when I was on vacation over the holidays and loved it. Buxbaum writes a story and I see the movie. And the page where she defines the opposite of love got folded down. (I can see the mail flying in about my folding the page now!) We have 10 copies 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, January 18th.

Last weekend we saw a record number of you answer the poll over the weekend and a number of newsletter signups, which makes us think there was some press about us somewhere that we did not note. To all of our new readers, welcome!

One note...thank you to all the readers who wrote us notes wishing us a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I had a wicked head cold right around Christmas, so I did more reading than responding, but know that all your messages were very appreciated. While I got a lot of mail about my question about when it's acceptable to stop saying "Happy New Year," I got a note from a reader named Larry that is giving me my future guideline. Start saying "Happy New Year" any time in December; stop saying "Happy New Year" at midnight on January 5th. However, I will make one caveat here. If someone writes or wishes me "Happy New Year" in a note after January 5th, I WILL respond with the same greeting. Well, it's nice to have that solved. One thing to check off my 2008 list. Larry also told me he appreciates my sense of humor, which made me smile, a wry smile.

While in Philly I am determined to see the Liberty Bell and at least one other historical stop. A few years ago I decided that I was tired of going to cities and only seeing convention centers, so I was going to "make time" to see something whenever I traveled. Thus I will entertain other suggestions of "must do" things in Philly if you have any to shoot my way over the weekend. Here's to great reading. I hope we help you find a book you love this week. Aren't winter weekends great for reading?

Carol Fitzgerald (
[email protected])



 

Author Talk: Geraldine Brooks, Author of PEOPLE OF THE BOOK

International bestselling author Geraldine Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize in 2006 for her novel MARCH, which retells Louisa May Alcott's LITTLE WOMEN from the perspective of the family patriarch, who is off fighting in the American Civil War. Her latest work of fiction, PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, spans 500 years and revolves around a different sort of text --- an extremely rare illuminated Jewish manuscript that has managed to survive near-destruction time and time again during some of the most tumultuous periods in world history. In this interview, Brooks describes what fascinated and inspired her about the real-life tome --- the Sarajevo Haggadah --- and discusses the amount of research she performed to accurately portray both the historical periods and the scientific process of book restoration. She also explains how she shaped the voice of the book's narrator, speculates on its reception in Bosnia and reveals how her "Pulitzer Surprise" has affected her work ethic.

PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by Geraldine Brooks (Historical Fiction)
In her two previous novels, Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks has demonstrated a remarkable ability to inhabit fully the world of a single historical period. This rich and emotionally powerful novel shows that she is equally adept at painting on a larger canvas to tell the riveting story of the survival of a medieval manuscript over five centuries of European history. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.


-Click here to read a review of PEOPLE OF THE BOOK.
-Click here to read an excerpt from PEOPLE OF THE BOOK.

 

Click here to read an interview with Geraldine Brooks.

 

Author Talk: Eric Weiner, Author of THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS

Ironically, foreign correspondent Eric Weiner was inspired to write his first book, THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS, by his many years abroad, traveling to and reporting on some of the world's least happy countries. In this interview, Weiner describes how he chose the countries and locations he visited, and explains the concept behind this "travelogue of ideas" --- specifically, how geographical and cultural environments can affect one's overall sense of contentment. He also reveals which chapter was the most difficult to write, discusses how he was unexpectedly affected by his overall experience working on the book and shares a list of his own favorite writers.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner (Travel Memoir)
THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS takes readers from America to Iceland to India in search of happiness, or, in Eric Weiner’s case, moments of "un-unhappiness." His debut uses a beguiling mixture of travel, psychology, science and humor to investigate not what happiness is, but where it is. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
 
-Click here to read a review of THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS.
-Visit the author’s website, www.EricWeinerBooks.com.
-Visit the publisher's website, www.TwelveBooks.com.

 

Click here to read an interview with Eric Weiner.


 

New Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Lawrence Goldstone, Author of THE ANATOMY OF DECEPTION

In THE ANATOMY OF DECEPTION, which hits stores on January 29th, Lawrence Goldstone weaves a mesmerizing forensic thriller that thrusts the reader into the operating rooms, drawing rooms and back alleys of 1889 Philadelphia, as a young doctor grapples with the principles of scientific process to track a daring killer.

We have 20 copies of THE ANATOMY OF DECEPTION 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, January 25th.

-Click here to read Lawrence Goldstone's bio.

More about THE ANATOMY OF DECEPTION:
In the morgue of a Philadelphia hospital, a group of physicians open a coffin and uncover the corpse of a beautiful young woman. What they see takes their breath away. Within days, one of them strongly suspects that he knows the woman’s identity...and the horrifying events that led to her death. But in this richly atmospheric novel --- an ingenious blend of history, suspense and early forensic science --- the most compelling chapter is yet to come, as young Ephraim Carroll is plunged into a maze of murder, secrets and unimaginable crimes.

 

Click here to read more about Lawrence Goldstone and THE ANATOMY OF DECEPTION.


 
New Featured One to Watch Author: Alan Drew, Author of GARDENS OF WATER
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In his fiction debut, GARDENS OF WATER, Alan Drew presents his readers with a powerful, emotional and beautifully written novel that brings to life two unforgettable families --- one Kurdish, one American --- and the sacrifice and love that bind them together. GARDENS OF WATER will be available in stores on February 5th.

We have 10 copies of GARDENS OF WATER 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, January 18th.

-Click here to read Alan Drew’s bio.

More about GARDENS OF WATER:
Sinan wishes to move his family to the safety of his old village --- a place where his children would be sheltered from the cosmopolitan temptations of Istanbul and raised in the Kurdish tradition.

But when a massive earthquake hits, the Basioglu family is faced with great challenges. Losing everything, they are forced to forage for themselves, living as refugees in their own country. And their survival becomes dependent on their American neighbors, to whom they are unnervingly indebted. As love develops between his daughter Ä°rem and the American teenager, Sinan makes a series of increasingly dangerous decisions that push him toward a betrayal that will change everyone’s lives forever.

 

Click here to read more about Alan Drew and GARDENS OF WATER.


 

New Featured One to Watch Author: Julie Buxbaum, Author of THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE

Written with authority, grace and wisdom, THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE is Julie Buxbaum’s first novel. Ending her relationship and unhappy at work, attorney Emily Haxby begins to feel her life unravel. In this book, which releases on January 29th, Buxbaum tells the story of how the young heroine decides to regain control and face the fears that have long haunted her.

We have 10 copies of THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE 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, January 18th.

-Click here to read Julie Buxbaum’s bio.
-Visit the book's official website, www.TheOppositeOfLove.com.

More about THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE:
When successful twenty-nine-year-old Manhattan attorney Emily Haxby ends her happy relationship just as her boyfriend is on the verge of proposing, she can’t explain to even her closest friends why she did it. As the holiday season looms and Emily contemplates whether she made a huge mistake, the rest of her world begins to unravel. How this brave, original young heroine finally decides to take control of her life and face the fears that have long haunted her is the great achievement of Julie Buxbaum’s marvelous first novel.

 

Click here to read more about Julie Buxbaum and THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE.


 
Featured One to Watch Author: Eli Gottlieb, Author of NOW YOU SEE HIM
Eli Gottlieb's THE BOY WHO WENT AWAY won the prestigious Rome Prize and the 1998 McKitterick Prize from the British Society of Authors. In NOW YOU SEE HIM, which will be in stores on January 22nd, Gottlieb takes the reader into the human psyche with extraordinarily luxuriant and evocative prose. After the shocking deaths of writer Rob Castor and his girlfriend, Rob's childhood best friend is forced to reevaluate his own life --- opening a fault line beneath him.

-Click here to read an excerpt from NOW YOU SEE HIM.
-Click here to read Eli Gottlieb's bio.
-Click here to read critical praise for NOW YOU SEE HIM.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about NOW YOU SEE HIM:
His name was Rob Castor. Quite possibly, you've heard of him. He became a minor cult celebrity in his early twenties for writing a book of darkly pitch-perfect stories set in a stupid upstate New York town. About a dozen years later, he murdered his writer-girlfriend and committed suicide. Their deaths begin a wrenching and enthrallingly suspenseful story that mines the explosive terrains of love, loyalty, envy and deception.

 

Click here to read more about Eli Gottlieb and NOW YOU SEE HIM.


 

Featured One to Watch Authors: Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack, Authors of A VERSION OF THE TRUTH

In LITERACY AND LONGING IN L.A., authors Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack captivated readers with a brilliantly imagined first novel. In their new book, A VERSION OF THE TRUTH (which is now available in stores), Kaufman and Mack introduce a character you’ll never forget: Cassie Shaw, an irrepressible young woman who reinvents herself in a funny, wise and utterly original story about friendship, love, wildlife and other forces of nature.

-Click here to read an excerpt from A VERSION OF THE TRUTH.
-Click here to read Jennifer Kaufman's bio.
-Click here to read Karen Mack's bio.
-Visit the book's official website, www.AVersionOfTheTruth.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about A VERSION OF THE TRUTH:
In the wilds of Topanga Canyon, Cassie Shaw has always felt right at home in the midst of nature, but everywhere else, life seems to be a little harder. At the age of 30, newly single and without a college degree, Cassie is in serious need of a paycheck. So in a desperate move, she lies on her resume when applying for an office job at an elite university. When she finds herself employed by two eccentric professors, Cassie begins to reinvent herself --- and soon encounters some very unexpected consequences.

 

Click here to read more about Jennifer Kaufman, Karen Mack and A VERSION OF THE TRUTH.

 

Featured One to Watch Author: Ron Leshem, Author of BEAUFORT

Ron Leshem’s debut novel, BEAUFORT, is an international literary sensation. In 2006 it was the recipient of the Sapir Prize, one of Israel’s most respected awards for literature, and the movie adaptation of the book has been critically acclaimed at film festivals worldwide. Translated by Evan Fallenberg and now in stores, BEAUFORT is a powerful, visceral portrait of the horror, camaraderie and absurdity of war.

-Click here to read an excerpt from BEAUFORT.
-Click here to read Ron Leshem’s bio.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about BEAUFORT:
Beaufort. To the handful of Israeli soldiers occupying the ancient crusader fortress, it is a little slice of hell. All around them, tension crackles in the air. And the threat of death is constant. But in their stony haven, Erez and his soldiers have created their own little world, their own rules, their own language. Until, in the final days of the occupation, Erez and his squad of young soldiers are given one last order: a mission that will shatter all remaining illusions --- and stand as a testament to the universal, gut-wrenching futility of war.

 

Click here to read more about Ron Leshem and BEAUFORT.


 

Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Beverly Barton, Author of THE MURDER GAME

New York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton has written over 50 contemporary romance novels. Her new thriller, THE MURDER GAME, will be available in stores on February 5th. In this terrifying follow-up to THE DYING GAME, private investigator Griffin Powell and FBI agent Nicole Baxter team up again to stop a serial killer playing a very dangerous game.

-Click here to read fast facts about Beverly Barton.
-Click here to read Beverly Barton’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.BeverlyBarton.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about THE MURDER GAME:
The game is simple. He is the Hunter. They are the Prey. He gives them a chance to escape. To run. To hide. To outsmart him. But eventually, he catches them. And that’s when the game gets really terrifying...

Private investigator Griffin Powell and FBI agent Nicole Baxter know a lot about serial killers --- they took one down together. But this new killer is as sadistic as they’ve ever seen. He likes his little games, and he especially likes forcing Nic and Griff to play along.

 

Click here to read more about Beverly Barton and THE MURDER GAME.


 
Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Kevin O'Brien, Author of ONE LAST SCREAM
Kevin O’Brien is the New York Times bestselling author of THE LAST VICTIM and KILLING SPREE. In his new thriller, ONE LAST SCREAM (which is in stores now), a series of mysterious murders leads a young woman suffering from blackouts to question herself and her past. Could she be a cold-blooded killer? Or a pawn in a deadly game?

-Click here to read a review of ONE LAST SCREAM.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from ONE LAST SCREAM.
-Click here to read fast facts about Kevin O'Brien.
-Click here to read Kevin O’Brien’s bio.
-Click here to see Kevin O’Brien’s backlist.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.KevinOBrienBooks.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.


More about ONE LAST SCREAM:
Amelia Faraday is beautiful, smart and a walking disaster. Suffering from blackouts, she also suffers from something worse --- the feeling that she is personally involved in a series of deaths. Now as a new series of murders begins, and she continues to suffer from blackouts, Amelia is left wondering if she is a cold-blooded killer --- or a pawn in a deadly game that is only just beginning.

 
Click here to read more about Kevin O'Brien and ONE LAST SCREAM.

 
Now in Stores: WHEN THE MORNING COMES by Cindy Woodsmall

A young Amish woman alone in a foreign world --- will Hannah find the freedom and hope she longs for? Read WHEN THE MORNING COMES by bestselling author Cindy Woodsmall.

“Cindy Woodsmall writes real --- real people, real conflicts, real emotions. When you open her book, you enter her world and live the story with the characters. WHEN THE MORNING COMES is a journey of discovering faith, of overcoming trauma, of learning to depend on God’s sustaining strength. I eagerly await installment three of the Sisters of the Quilt Series!”
  
    --- Kim Vogel Sawyer, author of WHERE WILLOWS GROW and WAITING FOR SUMMER'S RETURN

-Click here to read the discussion guide for WHEN THE MORNING COMES.

 

Click here to read more about WHEN THE MORNING COMES.

 

What's New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com

The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

AND SOMETIMES WHY by Rebecca Johnson
BODY SURFING by Anita Shreve
THE EXPEDITIONS by Karl Iagnemma
HOMECOMING by Bernhard Schlink
KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL by Deborah Rodriguez
MY LIFE AS A TRAITOR by Zarah Ghahramani
PERSIAN GIRLS by Nahid Rachlin
POLYGAMY: The Mormon Enigma by E. Keith Howick
THE PULPWOOD QUEENS' TIARA-WEARING, BOOK-SHARING GUIDE TO LIFE by Kathy L. Patrick
THE SEASONS OF THE EMMALEE by Michael Lindley
THE SENATOR'S WIFE by Sue Miller
THE SERPENT'S TALE by Ariana Franklin
THE SIXTH FORM by Tom Dolby
SOLDIER'S HEART: Reading Literature Through Peace and War at West Point by Elizabeth D. Samet
SONG YET SUNG by James McBride
THEY DID IT WITH LOVE by Kate Morgenroth

A VERSION OF THE TRUTH by Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mackfont>
WHEN THE MORNING COMES by Cindy Woodsmall
WINTERTON BLUE by Trezza Azzopardi


We have the following new guides for Christian book groups:

AS HIGH AS THE HEAVENS by Kathleen Morgan
A PASSION MOST PURE: Daughters of Boston, Book 1 by Julie Lessman
SKIZZER by A.J. Kiesling


Please note that the following titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:

ARLINGTON PARK by Rachel Cusk
THE FRIDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLUB by Kate Jacobs
THE OVERLOOK by Michael Connelly
PATRIOT HEARTS: A Novel of the Founding Mothers by Barbara Hambly

RED RIVER by Lalita Tademy
THE SUSPECT by John Lescroart
TRAVELS IN THE SCRIPTORIUM by Paul Auster


Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.


 

This Week's Reviews

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HERE by Cecelia Ahern (Fiction)
Sandy Shortt has spent her life trying to find the lost objects and people of Ireland, until the day she also goes missing. She somehow has wandered into an impossible place and now is yearning to be found. WARNING: prepare to stay up all night reading this downright odd yet completely irresistible story. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
 
THE CHAMELEON’S SHADOW by Minette Walters (Psychological Thriller)
A broken Iraq War vet, murders of old men who may be gay, a wannabe actress who thinks she’s Uma Thurman, street people, and a very large lesbian weightlifter who is also a doctor. British author Minette Walters delivers an astounding psychological thriller with THE CHAMELEON’S SHADOW. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
 
THE 6 SACRED STONES by Matthew Reilly (Thriller)
Supersoldier Jack West Jr. and his loyal team of adventurers from 7 DEADLY WONDERS are back, and now they face an all-but-impossible challenge. A mysterious ceremony in an unknown location has unraveled their work and triggered a catastrophic countdown that will climax in no less than the end of all life on Earth. But there is one last hope. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

TOUCHSTONE by Laurie R. King (Thriller)
New York Times bestselling author Laurie R. King takes readers to a remote cottage in Cornwall, where a gripping tale of intrigue, terrorism and explosive passions begins with a visit to a recluse upon whom the fate of an entire nation may rest. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

SALT RIVER by James Sallis (Thriller)
In this follow-up novel to CYPRESS GROVE and CRIPPLE CREEK --- mysteries that feature Deputy Sheriff John Turner --- James Sallis paints with words a stark and poignant picture of death and dying in America’s rural South. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.
 
THE ANATOMIST: A True Story of Gray's Anatomy by Bill Hayes (Biography/History)
Science writer Bill Hayes explores the creation of GRAY’S ANATOMY --- the famous and influential anatomy book by Henry Gray --- and the life of Gray's illustrator, Henry Carter. THE ANATOMIST is a unique blend of history, biography and memoir with a number of cadavers as well. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

RISE OF THE BLOOD ROYAL: Volume III of The Destinies of Blood and Stone by Robert Newcomb (Fantasy)
Robert Newcomb brings his epic trilogy, The Destinies of Blood and Stone, to a triumphant close. Old questions will receive unexpected answers. Ancient prophecies will come to pass. New wonders and horrors will be revealed. And the lives of Prince Tristan and his sister, Shailiha --- the Chosen Ones who alone can unite the sundered powers of the beneficent Vigors and the evil Vagaries --- will change forever. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
 
THE LAST JEW STANDING by Michael Simon (Thriller)
Lieutenant Dan Reles has a new house, a wife and a son, and a great career as head of Austin Homicide. But when Dan’s deadbeat father Ben Reles --- a Mafia legbreaker who has spent the last 20 years on the run --- shows up on Dan’s doorstep with an escaped prostitute in tow, trouble is sure to follow. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
 
TEENAGE WAISTLAND: A Former Fat-Camper Weighs in on Living Large, Losing Weight, And How Parents Can (And Can't) Help by Abby Ellin (Memoir)
We all know that obesity in kids (as well as in adults) is a problem in the United States. Here, a once-overweight teen presents the situation, the varied attempts at solutions and her own story in a frank, funny and heartbreaking manner that makes for a true page-turner. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

 

Read this week's reviews here.

 

Poll, Question and Word of Mouth

Poll:

Do you keep your books after you read them?

I keep them all.
I keep some.
I do not keep them.
I do not buy books. 

If you give books away, what do you do with them?

Give them to friends or family
Donate them to the library
Donate them to charity
Other
I do not give books away.


-Click here to answer our poll.


Question:


If you have to pick FIVE books from your shelves that define you, what would they be?

-Click here to answer our question of the week.


Word of Mouth:

T
ell 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 BLASPHEMY by Douglas Preston, PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich and THE WINTER ROSE by Jennifer Donnelly
. Tell us what you are reading and rate the titles 1-5 by noon on January 18th to ensure that you are in the running to win these books.

Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on January 18th.

 

Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.

 

As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.

Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the
Write to Us page.  If you would like to reach me, please write [email protected]. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.

Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by January 31, 2008 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: THE APPEAL by John Grisham, DUMA KEY by Stephen King, PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich, THE SECRET BETWEEN US by Barbara Delinsky and THE WINTER ROSE by Jennifer Donnelly. Danica from Portage, IN
was last month's newsletter winner. She won THE DARKEST EVENING OF THE YEAR by Dean Koontz, LAST CALL by James Grippando, T IS FOR TRESPASS by Sue Grafton, THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HERE by Cecelia Ahearn and WATCHMAN by Ian Rankin.

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

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