September 21, 2012

Summer, you were such fun; wish we could have booked you for a few more weeks, especially since in the New York area it’s been sunny with blue skies and no humidity. Yesterday, as I was walking crosstown to an author lunch, I was thinking how really blissful this weather is. The author was Jonas Jonasson, who is from Sweden --- and he is not a thriller author. Imagine that! Instead, he has written an international bestseller (to the tune of 3,000,000 copies sold worldwide) that has just been released here called THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED.

His protagonist is Allan Karlsson, who is living in a nursing home where everyone is preparing to celebrate his 100th birthday. But Allan has had it with nursing home life and has no interest in celebrating, so he climbs out a window, steps into a flower bed, and --- walks away. He heads to the bus station, steals a suitcase and starts his adventure. But Allan has had quite a life before this as readers come to know, and this witty book has all the appeal of a Forrest Gump story. We talked over lunch about why the book has been such a success. It may just be because it’s happy and funny, and right now people want that in their lives. By the way, we went to a Swedish restaurant, and it was fun dining with a native; his choice: Swedish meatballs. They looked NOTHING like the ones they serve at IKEA!

Nursing homes was a theme of my reading this week, as I also enjoyed the manuscript of Jill McCorkle’s LIFE AFTER LIFE, which is set in a nursing home and will be in stores on March 26th. The tight community of those who live at the center, the hospice worker on staff and the free-spirited young woman who does hair and nails there, all have intertwining stories with many, many surprises. I finished reading it, and as I was having my “ah that was wonderful” moment, I also wanted to go back and re-read it knowing what I know now about all the characters. Readers will be in for a treat with this one.

Heads up for those of you in the New York area. Next Saturday, September 29th from 10:30-3:30, I am going to be at a “Meet the Authors” event being sponsored by the Hachette Book Group. While this is billed as a day for book groups, know that ANY of you who are booklovers can attend. There Tickets cost $50 in advance or $75 at the door, which includes morning refreshments and lunch --- and there will be lots of giveaways. Participating authors include Megan Abbott, author of DARE ME; Jami Attenberg, author of THE MIDDLESTEINS; Stacy Schiff, author of CLEOPATRA; and Jill Shalvis, author of AT LAST. You can read complete information about this event, including signup details, here. And if you are going to be there, let me know!

Fall means BIG books --- always --- thus let’s get to our lineup…

This week, Ken Follett released book two of his Century Trilogy. WINTER OF THE WORLD picks up right where FALL OF GIANTS left off, as five interrelated families enter a time of enormous social, political and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the Spanish Civil War and the great dramas of World War II, up to the explosions of the American and Soviet atomic bombs. Our reviewer, Roz Shea, says, “No one is more uniquely qualified than Follett --- through his gift for dramatic narrative, nuanced character development, and historical accuracy --- to look at the broad picture of the 20th century and its impact on our youthful 21st…. His exhaustive historical research for this and 20 other historical novels covering events from the 12th century through the present enriches our knowledge and experience.”

Sandra Brown’s latest thriller, LOW PRESSURE, introduces readers to Bellamy Lyston, who was 12 years old when her older sister, Susan, was killed. Now, 18 years later, Bellamy has written a bestselling novel based on her sister’s murder, but the book puts a huge target on her back because someone really doesn’t want the truth about the crime to come out. Reviewer Joe Hartlaub says, “There is simply no good place to stop, as Brown’s penchant for frequent changes of scene and character keeps the narrative moving at a breakneck pace that will captivate readers.... LOW PRESSURE is both a classic and groundbreaking work of romantic suspense that also will satisfy readers who are not ordinarily attracted to the genre but who would be willing to widen their reading horizons.” I read this book on vacation, and I heartily agree. I think that Sandra’s books are a great study in plotting as she truly nails building the action and tension.

T. C. Boyle returns to the Channel Islands for SAN MIGUEL, his newest work consisting of two short novels. In the first story, set in 1888, Marantha Waters moves to the island with her husband and daughter to run a sheep farm, with the hope that the climate will cure her consumption. In the second story, set in the 1930s, Elise Lester and her husband, shell-shocked from the effects of World War I, take over the farm. Reviewer Michael Magras calls the first 200 pages “wonderful. Boyle’s depiction of the Waters clan is as compelling as anything he’s ever written. His prose is, as always, economical and precise.” Click here to read an interview with Boyle, who offers much insight into the writing of SAN MIGUEL and what he has in the works.

The fourth installment in Eric Van Lustbader’s Jack McClure series is now in stores. In FATHER NIGHT, a tidal wave of reform is sweeping across the Middle East. Major seats of political power are up for grabs, and at the center of it all are two men, giants of the vast criminal underworld. Hiding in the shadows is a man history might have forgotten, but whose evil is still very much alive: Father Night. Reviewer Ray Palen says, “Eric Van Lustbader has already breathed new life into the Jason Bourne series, and proves with his latest McClure/Carson novel that the intelligent espionage genre is not dead and that there are still great stories to be told beyond the Cold War.”

In THE REVISED FUNDAMENTALS OF CAREGIVING by Jonathan Evison, Benjamin Benjamin has lost virtually everything and enrolls in a class called The Fundamentals of Caregiving. He is assigned to care for 19-year-old Trevor, who is in the advanced stages of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. As the two embark on a wild road trip, a new companionship replaces the traditional boundary between patient and caregiver. Reviewer Eileen Zimmerman Nicol says, “I have driven these roads through Washington, Idaho and Montana many times, and savored Ben’s descriptions of the scenery.... this road trip is one I would not want to miss.” I read this on vacation as well, and there is an aha moment in it that literally made me pause.

THE CUTTING SEASON is the second novel by Attica Locke, who impressed many with her debut, BLACK WATER RISING. Here, Caren walks the grounds of Belle Vie just after dawn, the historic plantation house in Louisiana that she manages. She sees nothing out of order except for a small plot of land that’s been dug up, which she assumes an animal has done. However, when she asks the gardener to tidy it up, they discover a dead body. Reviewer Kate Ayers says, “Attica Locke writes with passion and grace, and her prose sparkles through every sentence. She takes a look back at racial issues with a delicate hand as she examines the frailties of relationships.” We are featuring this title on ReadingGroupGuides.com this month --- and it’s already made its way to my reading list.

We’re also pleased to feature our review of A FINE AND DANGEROUS SEASON, an eBook Original by Keith Raffel. It is October 24, 1962, and Nate Michaels gets an early morning call from former classmate and now president, John F. Kennedy. JFK needs Nate's help to diffuse several extremely tense situations that have the ability to destroy America. Is Nate up to the challenge? Joe Hartlaub calls the book “impressive from beginning to end. Raffel paints a relatively fair and even-handed portrait of Kennedy, warts and all, which is refreshing, to say the least.” My son Greg, who knew little about the Cuban Missile Crisis, said the book gave him a lot more of an understanding of the play-by-play in those days. As I was reading, I saw that.

I am happy to announce that THE DEVOTED is my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Nine years is a long time to wait for a book from a favorite author. And that’s just what happened to me with Jonathan Hull. After loving LOSING JULIA (2000) and THE DISTANCE FROM NORMANDY (2003), there was no new book from Jonathan until a few weeks ago. When THE DEVOTED crossed my desk, I made a quick visit to his website and saw a note that he has been suffering from the long-term effects of a bout with Lyme disease, which has affected his writing stamina. But THE DEVOTED is a treat worth waiting for as Jonathan proves the story writing chops he had with his prior work are still in evidence. Click here to read more of my thoughts about this unforgettable read.

As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, I read an article noting that as many as 55% of Young Adult books are being bought by adults. This does not surprise us, but it also makes me realize that we’ve sensed this for a while, which is why we created our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature that runs each month. We have our update of it this week, which includes THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray, SECONDS AWAY: A Mickey Bolitar Novel by Harlan Coben, THE EDGE OF NOWHERE by Elizabeth George, and TWO OR THREE THINGS I FORGOT TO TELL YOU by Joyce Carol Oates. Yes, three of those authors are adult writers now writing for young adults.

In our new poll, we’re curious about which September and October books you’re most looking forward to reading. Check out our choices to add new books to your “Must-Read” lists. And in our Word of Mouth contest, we’re giving away LOVE ANTHONY by Lisa Genova, ROGUE by Mark Sullivan and SUTTON by J.R. Moehringer. Enter by Friday, October 5th at noon ET for your chance to win all three books.

Debra, one of our readers, shared that The Next Chapter Bookshop in the Milwaukee suburb of Mequon, Wisconsin, closed permanently on September 11th. I hate seeing any bookstores close! Please remember to support your local stores; you will miss them when they are gone!

Out this week is Paul Simon: Live in New York City, which was taped at Webster Hall earlier this year. I had wanted to be at that show since it was such a small setting, but alas I did not get tickets. Watching the DVD that accompanies the 2-CD set the other night, I realized again that Simon is a brilliant artist/songwriter --- and that his band is so very, very tight. Truly a treat to watch something like that. If I crank up the sound, I can pretend I was there.

We are celebrating my dad’s birthday tomorrow on the “really really” day, which is nice. I will not share his age since I know he reads this newsletter, but let’s just say he looks and acts 10-15 years younger than he is, which bodes well for me!

Beyond that, I am reading --- and loving --- Z by Therese Anne Fowler, which is publishing next year. It’s a wonderful novel about Zelda Fitzgerald that promises to be a huge sensation. And I would love to get the garage cleaned out while the weather is still good. Not sure if I can rally the troops for this. Wondering if brownies would help on that front. And there will be some serious swimming to savor the last days of the pool. Leaves are falling into it every time the trees shake, which means my breaststrokes now include grabbing and flinging handfuls of leaves!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

PS. When you use the links below to purchase books, you also support Bookreporter.com as we have affiliate arrangements with each of them. Please consider this when purchasing books!

WINTER OF THE WORLD: Book Two of the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett (Historical Fiction)
WINTER OF THE WORLD picks up right where FALL OF GIANTS left off, as its five interrelated families --- American, German, Russian, English and Welsh --- enter a time of enormous social, political and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the Spanish Civil War and the great dramas of World War II, up to the explosions of the American and Soviet atomic bombs. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

LOW PRESSURE by Sandra Brown (Romantic Suspense)
Bellamy Lyston was only 12 years old when her older sister, Susan, was killed on a stormy Memorial Day. Now, 18 years later, Bellamy has written a sensational, bestselling novel based on Susan's murder. She becomes the target of an unnamed assailant who either wants the truth about Susan's murder to remain unknown or, even more threatening, is determined to get vengeance for a man wrongfully accused and punished. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.

T. C. Boyle’s latest novel, SAN MIGUEL, revolves around the stories of two women --- one in the 1880s and the other in the 1930s --- who inhabited the beautiful and isolated San Miguel Island off the coast of California. In this interview, Boyle talks about the history of the island, the art of writing historical fiction, and his upcoming collection of short stories.

SAN MIGUEL by T. C. Boyle (Historical Fiction)
T. C. Boyle returns to the Channel Islands for his latest work of historical fiction, which is comprised of two short novels. In the first, set in 1888, Marantha Waters moves to the island with her husband and daughter to run a sheep farm, with the hope that the climate will cure her consumption. In the second, set in the 1930s, Elise Lester and her husband, the latter shell-shocked during World War I, take over the land. Reviewed by Michael Magras.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.

SEVERE CLEAR: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods (Mystery)
When the Presidents of Mexico and the United States decide to meet in Los Angeles to sign an important new treaty, terrorists take advantage of the event to plan the deadliest strike ever to take place on American soil. It's up to Stone Barrington and Holly Barker to avert this tragedy. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

-Click here to read more about the book.

FATHER NIGHT: A McClure/Carson Novel by Eric Van Lustbader (Thriller)
A tidal wave of reform is sweeping across the Middle East. Up for grabs are major seats of political power, and at the center of it all are two men, giants of the vast criminal underworld. One is known as Dadya Gourdiev, the other is an underworld mystery, known only as the Syrian. But hiding in the shadows is a man history might have forsaken, but whose evil is still very much alive: Father Night. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit Eric Van Lustbader’s official website.

A FINE AND DANGEROUS SEASON by Keith Raffel (Historical Thriller)
In October 1962, JFK needs businessman Nate Michaels’ help opening a back channel to defuse the threat posed by Soviet missiles in Cuba. In both the Pentagon and the Kremlin, pro-war generals want a showdown, not a humiliating compromise. As the world races toward nuclear holocaust during a fine and dangerous autumn, Michaels finds himself spinning in a maelstrom of statecraft, espionage, love and betrayal. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit Keith Raffel’s official website.

THE DEVOTED: A Love Story by Jonathan Hull (Fiction)
Nine years is a long time to wait for a book from a favorite author. And that’s just what happened to me with Jonathan Hull. After loving LOSING JULIA (2000) and THE DISTANCE FROM NORMANDY (2003), there was no new book from Jonathan until a few weeks ago. When THE DEVOTED crossed my desk, I made a quick visit to his website and saw a note that he has been suffering from the long-term effects of a bout with Lyme disease, which has affected his writing stamina. But ah, THE DEVOTED is a treat worth waiting for as Jonathan proves the story writing chops he had with his prior work is still in evidence.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to see all the books we’re betting you’ll love.

THE HOUSE I LOVED by Tatiana de Rosnay (Historical Fiction)
Paris, France: 1860s. Hundreds of houses are being razed, whole neighborhoods reduced to ashes. By order of Emperor Napoleon III, Baron Haussmann has set into motion a series of large-scale renovations that will permanently alter the face of old Paris, molding it into a “modern city.” The reforms will erase generations of history --- and in the midst of the tumult, one woman will take a stand.

Rose Bazelet is determined to fight against the destruction of her family home until the very end. As others flee, she stakes her claim in the basement of the old house on rue Childebert, ignoring the sounds of change that come closer and closer each day. Attempting to overcome the loneliness of her daily life, she begins to write letters to Armand, her beloved late husband. And as she delves into the ritual of remembering, Rose is forced to come to terms with a secret that has been buried deep in her heart for 30 years.

THE HOUSE I LOVED will be available in paperback on October 2nd.

-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Tatiana de Rosnay’s bio.
-Click here to visit Tatiana de Rosnay’s official website.
-Connect with Tatiana de Rosnay on Facebook and Twitter.

As you may or may not know, our company, The Book Report Network, has a number of websites about books and authors in addition to Bookreporter.com. Throughout the year, Bookreporter.com features adult books on Teenreads.com, our site for young adult readers, that we think will have definite appeal to a teen audience. In the spirit of sharing, we are now spotlighting a selection of titles each month from Teenreads.com that we believe are great reads that you might enjoy.

Here are our latest featured titles:

THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray (Historical Fantasy)
Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City, where she lives with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult. When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer --- if he doesn't catch her first.

SECONDS AWAY: A Mickey Bolitar Novel by Harlan Coben (Mystery)
When tragedy strikes close to home, Mickey Bolitar and his loyal new friends find themselves at the center of a terrifying mystery involving the shooting of their friend Rachel. Now, not only does Mickey have to continue his quest to uncover the truth about the Abeona Shelter, the Butcher of Lodz and the mysterious death of his father, he needs to figure out who shot Rachel --- no matter what it takes.

THE EDGE OF NOWHERE by Elizabeth George (Paranormal Romance/Mystery)
Put at risk by her ability to hear "whispers" --- the thoughts of others --- Becca is on the run from her stepfather, whose criminal activities she has discovered. Stranded and alone at Whidbey Island, Becca is soon befriended by a Ugandon orphan adopted by a local family; a kindhearted musician and high school dropout; a recovering alcoholic who takes her in; and Diana, with whom Becca shares a mysterious psychic connection.

TWO OR THREE THINGS I FORGOT TO TELL YOU by Joyce Carol Oates (Fiction)
Now in their senior year, Merissa and Nadia need Tink more than they ever did before. They each have secrets they could share with no one but her, secrets that have become toxic and that threaten to unravel their friendship --- and themselves. Tink also had a secret, a big one, but no one knows what it was. And now she's gone. But sometimes the girls feel Tink, trying to tell them something.

Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from September 21st to October 5th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of LOVE ANTHONY by Lisa Genova, ROGUE by Mark Sullivan and SUTTON by J.R. Moehringer.

To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.

-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.