Skip to main content

April 11, 2014

Bookreporter.com Newsletter April 11, 2014
Joyfully Reading Outdoors
Here in the New York area, I have noted how people seem a bit more upbeat these last two weeks with the nicer weather and sunnier skies. I am seeing 70(!) on the live forecaster gizmo that I have on my desk at the house. I headed for the patio last Sunday, pulled out the lounge chair cushions, and hit the trifecta of reading, knitting and napping. I somehow never nap during the winter, but the laziness that accompanies sitting in the sun has me invariably catching a few winks no matter how interesting my reading is. And oh, that felt soooo good.

Lots of great reading last weekend. First up was Lisa Scottoline’s latest novel, KEEP QUIET, in which a father-son bonding opportunity backfires in a tragic way. With 16-year-old Ryan’s future hanging in the balance, his father, Jake, must make a split-second decision that plunges both of them into a world of guilt and lies. Confession: I had been planning to listen to this on audio and supplement my listening with reading the print book, but I started reading before the audio arrived. And let’s just say that I lack the “reading self-control” gene to make myself stop! The plot made me think how one seemingly innocent moment can send life spiraling a new way.

Norah Piehl has our review and says, "Nearly every chapter of Scottoline's page-turning latest provides a new twist in the rapidly unfolding tale of Jake and Ryan's huge mistake and its complicated aftermath.... KEEP QUIET is a thriller with a heart, a suspense novel that never loses sight of its emotional core."

Next up, I finished ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr, which is oh so beautiful. Set during World War II, Marie-Laure is a young blind girl living in Paris with her father, who is a master of locks at the Museum of Natural History and is in charge of some of their most valued works. He has constructed a miniature model of the streets of Paris for Marie-Laure to study so she can navigate the world around her. When she is 12, the Germans move into the city, and they are forced to flee to the town of Saint-Malo, where a reclusive uncle lives by the sea. In a parallel story, a young orphan boy named Werner lives with his sister in Germany and is tapped to be part of the Hitler Youth, eventually given a role to teach the Resistance. The book is wonderful from the start, but as their two stories crescendo together, the last 100 pages are just brilliant. Doerr took 10 years to write this one; it took one week of reading for me to select it as a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. You can read my comments on it after its May 6th release date.

I am reading SAVE THE DATE by Mary Kay Andrews, which will be in stores on June 3rd. I am 200 pages in, and, as always, MKA (as we affectionately call her) has me plotting extracurricular projects around the house. In SAVE THE DATE, Savannah florist Cara Kryzik is growing her clientele as THE person in town who can make a wedding event perfect. She has just landed a BIG client that could solidify that role, but, of course, challenges await her. And there is, of course, a great-looking love interest. I am reading about the flowers she is selecting and conjuring up all kinds of beautiful arrangements to make for the house. We’re hosting Easter here, and I'm ready to put the new ideas to work. My husband will be happy that flowers are the theme here. In the past, I have read Mary Kay’s books and walked around the house with paint chips and plans for knocking down walls as the stories revolved around home renovation (aka house porn). Flowers will be so much easier for him to cope with. Seriously, who knows what books will inspire!

As promised, I’m making Gabrielle Zevin’s THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Click here to read my commentary. We’re also pleased to share feedback from some of our readers who won an advance copy of the book last month, which you can see here. And as for the shirt pictured above, I was given that by Fikry’s publisher; it has the entire story of the book written on it. If someone is behind me on a line, they can read my shirt!

This week, Kevin O’Brien makes his SIXTH appearance in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight with his upcoming novel, TELL ME YOU’RE SORRY, releasing on April 29th. Stephanie Coburn has barely recovered from her sister's mysterious suicide before her brother-in-law and his new wife are murdered, her face disfigured beyond recognition. Stephanie never met the bride, but she knew her sister and knows something is desperately wrong. Her only ally is another victim's son. Step by step, they're uncovering a trail of brutal vengeance and a killer who will never relent --- and whose forgiveness can only be earned in death. We have 25 copies of the book to give away to readers who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 24th at noon ET.

Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight contest for BRIDGE TO HAVEN is still up and running. Set in 1950s Hollywood, Francine Rivers’s new novel is a tale of temptation, grace and unconditional love. It doesn’t release until April 22nd, but we have 25 copies to give away to those who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 17th at noon ET. With Francine’s signature writing style, you’ll find yourself caught up in the magic and deceit of Hollywood along with her characters.

We’re continuing to give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of Lauren Willig’s upcoming novel, THAT SUMMER, and share their comments about it before its June 3rd publication date. From modern-day England to the early days of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, THAT SUMMER takes readers on a journey through a mysterious old house, a hidden love affair, and one woman’s search for the truth about her past --- and herself. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, April 15th at noon ET.

We'd also like to mention two contests that are currently appearing on the righthand side of the Bookreporter.com homepage. We're giving 25 readers the chance to win a copy of FOUR FRIENDS by Robyn Carr (the deadline for entries is Monday, May 5th at noon ET), while 25 readers will be awarded a copy of THE OLEANDER SISTERS by Elaine Hussey before its release date of July 29th (the deadline for entries is Thursday, May 8th at noon ET).

FROG MUSIC marks the return of Emma Donoghue, whose 2010 novel ROOM was an international bestseller and a finalist for the Man Booker Prize. Her latest book takes place in San Francisco during the summer of 1876, and revolves around the tragic death of a young woman named Jenny Bonnet. Her friend, Blanche Beunon, survived, and over the next three days, she will risk everything to bring Jenny's killer to justice --- if he doesn't catch up to her first. Reviewer Kate Ayers calls Blanche “one unforgettable woman. And FROG MUSIC is unforgettable as well. Donoghue’s prose positively sings here, and marks her triumphant return following her 2010 bestseller, ROOM.”

In stores now is Akhil Sharma’s highly anticipated second novel, FAMILY LIFE (following his PEN/Hemingway Award-winning debut, AN OBEDIENT FATHER). In 1978, Ajay and his brother, Birju, are looking forward to the day when they can reunite with their father in America. But then tragedy strikes, leaving one brother severely brain-damaged and the other lost and virtually orphaned in a strange land. Damian Van Denburgh has our review and says, “Sharma packs enough emotion, incident and stellar prose into its fine frame for several novels. And while the first half holds most of the book’s heat and momentum, what’s generated by that intensity is enough to sustain the second half through its painful, excruciating unraveling to its quiet yet unsettled ending.” I had the pleasure of meeting Akhil at lunch and heard him share the story of taking seven years to write this book!

Next up is THE COLD SONG by Linn Ullmann, which is an Indie Next Pick for May. When Milla is hired as a nanny for a married couple, life in their idyllic summer community takes a dire turn. One rainy July night, Milla disappears without a trace. After her remains are discovered and a suspect is identified, everyone who had any connection with her feels implicated in the tragedy and haunted by what they could have done to prevent it. According to reviewer Jane Krebs, “Two things stand out in this excellent book. The first is the seamless movement of multiple complex characters through several years of time plus flashbacks to a tragedy in Siri’s early childhood…. The second is the impossibly perfect ending, specifically the last four pages.” I read and loved THE COLD SONG, and agree with everything that Jane says!

In anticipation of all the college graduations taking place over these next couple of months, an expanded and updated edition of LEAN IN is now available. Included is a letter to graduates from Sheryl Sandberg and six additional chapters from experts offering advice on finding and getting the most out of a first job; résumé writing; best interviewing practices; negotiating your salary; listening to your inner voice; and more. Barbara Bamberger Scott has our review and says, “LEAN IN: FOR GRADUATES will offer aid and comfort to a new generation of workforce women, and to females in all phases of life and career.”

This week’s poll question continues to ask: “Do you like the smell of a printed book?” Some people often say they love the smell, while others (like me) have no idea what they’re talking about. Click here to weigh in!

There’s still time to enter our current Word of Mouth contest. Let us know what books you’ve finished reading, and you’ll have the opportunity to win FOUR upcoming titles: ASTONISH ME by Maggie Shipstead, along with the aforementioned THE COLD SONG, FAMILY LIFE and KEEP QUIET. Please fill out the form on this page by Friday, April 18th at noon ET.

The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) Festival took place last weekend in New York City, and I happened to note in my Facebook feed that bestselling author Luanne Rice was headed there on Saturday. She was kind enough to answer some questions about the event, which you can read here. Among other topics, she shares how she was introduced to graphic novels and how the medium has given her insight into “new story-telling possibilities.”

This week, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the six books shortlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction. Click here for the finalists in each category. Also, International Thriller Writers (ITW) announced the nominees for the ITW 2014 Thriller Awards in six categories. You can see all the finalists here.

This weekend, the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books will be held on the campus of USC. I wish I could be there, but I am happy to share that two Bookreporter.com readers will be reporting for us --- Kathy Jund (who is attending for a 10th time) and Lita Weissman, a longtime book friend. We will have their reports next week.

As we were watching the NCAA Tournament, I read about the very special relationship between Michigan State star Adreian Payne and eight-year old Lacey Holsworth, who was fighting neuroblastoma cancer. She was nicknamed Princess Lacey by him and the team. Payne’s story of overcoming learning issues and so much loss in his life, as well as his friendship with Lacey, moved me enormously. She was in the stands a week ago Sunday cheering the team on, as well as at a Slam Dunk contest last week. Sadly, she died earlier this week. She had a life that was a short story, but read like a novel that will be reflected on for a long time.

"The Masters," which should be said in hushed tones, is this weekend, and thus my husband will be glued to the glory of Augusta from the couch all weekend. I am making pimento cheese sandwiches on white bread to celebrate. While tickets at the Masters are tough to get, I have learned that, unlike other sporting events that gouge you on food prices, at the Masters their world-famous Pimento Cheese Sandwich is $1.50. The Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich is $2. Maybe I need to make some peach ice cream this weekend; I froze peaches last summer when I went overboard picking at the orchard.

Besides catering the Masters Couch Fest, I will be finishing SAVE THE DATE and 'TIL THE WELL RUNS DRY by Lauren Francis-Sharma, which is just wonderful. I will have more about the latter for you next week.

Happy Passover to those who are celebrating this week! And read on…we have lots to share in this update!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

Now in Stores: KEEP QUIET by Lisa Scottoline
KEEP QUIET by Lisa Scottoline (Psychological Thriller)
Jake Buckman picks up his 16-year-old son, Ryan, at their suburban movie theater. On the way home, Ryan asks to drive on a deserted road, and Jake sees it as a chance to make a connection. However, what starts as a father-son bonding opportunity instantly turns into a nightmare. Tragedy strikes, and with Ryan’s entire future hanging in the balance, Jake is forced to make a split-second decision that plunges them both into a world of guilt and lies. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

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

 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: FROG MUSIC by Emma Donoghue
FROG MUSIC by Emma Donoghue (Historical Mystery)
In the summer of 1876, San Francisco is in the fierce grip of a record-breaking heat wave and a smallpox epidemic. Through the window of a railroad saloon, a young woman named Jenny Bonnet is shot dead. The survivor, her friend Blanche Beunon, is a French burlesque dancer. Over the next three days, she will risk everything to bring Jenny's murderer to justice --- if he doesn't track her down first. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: LIVING WITH A WILD GOD by Barbara Ehrenreich
LIVING WITH A WILD GOD: A Nonbeliever's Search for the Truth about Everything by Barbara Ehrenreich (Memoir)
In middle age, Barbara Ehrenreich came across the journal she had kept during her tumultuous adolescence and set out to reconstruct that quest, which had taken her to the study of science and through a cataclysmic series of uncanny --- or, as she later learned to call them, "mystical" --- experiences. A staunch atheist and rationalist, she is profoundly shaken by the implications of her life-long search. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: UPDIKE by Adam Begley
UPDIKE by Adam Begley (Biography)
In this eye-opening, authoritative biography, Adam Begley offers a captivating portrait of John Updike, the author who saw himself as a literary spy in small-town and suburban America. Drawing on in-depth archival research, as well as interviews with the writer's family, friends and colleagues, Begley explores how Updike's fiction was shaped by his tumultuous personal life. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

-Click here to read more about the book.

 
Click here to read a review.
New Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest: TELL ME YOU’RE SORRY by Kevin O’Brien
We have 25 copies of TELL ME YOU'RE SORRY by Kevin O'Brien, which releases on April 29th, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 24th at noon ET.

TELL ME YOU'RE SORRY by Kevin O'Brien (Thriller)
A family is wiped out after a burglary gone wrong. An executive accused of embezzling kills himself and his loved ones. A house fire claims the lives of all its inhabitants. Separate incidents with two common threads --- a first wife who took her own life, and a secret the victims took to their graves.

Stephanie Coburn has barely recovered from her sister's mysterious suicide before her brother-in-law and his new wife are murdered, her face disfigured beyond recognition. Stephanie never met the bride, has never even seen a clear photograph. But she knew her sister, and she knows something is desperately wrong.

The police won't listen. Her only ally is another victim's son. Step by step, they're uncovering a trail of brutal vengeance and a killer who will never relent --- and whose forgiveness can only be earned in death.

-Click here to read Kevin O'Brien's bio.
-Click here to visit Kevin O'Brien's official website.
-Click here to connect with Kevin O'Brien on Twitter.

 
Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: BRIDGE TO HAVEN by Francine Rivers
We have 25 copies of BRIDGE TO HAVEN by Francine Rivers, which releases on April 22nd, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 17th at noon ET.

BRIDGE TO HAVEN by Francine Rivers (Historical Fiction)
To those who matter in 1950s Hollywood, Lena Scott is the hottest rising star to hit the silver screen since Marilyn Monroe. Few know her real name is Abra. Even fewer know the price she’s paid to finally feel like she’s somebody.

To Pastor Ezekiel Freeman, Abra will always be the little girl who stole his heart the night he found her, a wailing newborn abandoned under a bridge on the outskirts of Haven. Zeke and his son, Joshua --- Abra’s closest friend --- watch her grow into an exotic beauty. But Zeke knows the circumstances surrounding her birth etched scars deep in her heart, scars that leave her vulnerable to a fast-talking bad boy who proclaims his love and lures her to Tinseltown. Hollywood feels like a million miles from Haven, and naive Abra quickly learns what’s expected of an ambitious girl with stars in her eyes. But fame comes at an awful price. She has burned every bridge to get exactly what she thought she wanted. Now, all she wants is a way back home.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Francine Rivers's bio.
-Click here to visit Francine Rivers's official website.
-Click here to connect with Francine Rivers on Facebook.
 
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
Special Contest: THAT SUMMER by Lauren Willig
We are celebrating the June 3rd release of THAT SUMMER by Lauren Willig with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book and submit their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, April 15th at noon ET.

THAT SUMMER by Lauren Willig (Fiction)
2009: When Julia Conley hears that she has inherited a house outside London from an unknown great-aunt, she assumes it’s a joke. She hasn't been back to England since the car crash that killed her mother when she was six, an event she remembers only in her nightmares. But when she arrives at Herne Hill to sort through the house --- with the help of her cousin Natasha and sexy antiques dealer Nicholas --- bits of memory start coming back. And then she discovers a pre-Raphaelite painting, hidden behind the false back of an old wardrobe, and a window onto the house's shrouded history begins to open...

1849: Imogen Grantham has spent nearly a decade trapped in a loveless marriage to a much older man, Arthur. The one bright spot in her life is her step-daughter, Evie, a high-spirited 16-year-old who is the closest thing to a child Imogen hopes to have. But everything changes when three young painters come to see Arthur's collection of medieval artifacts, including Gavin Thorne, a quiet man with the unsettling ability to read Imogen better than anyone ever has. When Arthur hires Gavin to paint her portrait, none of them can guess what the hands of fate have set in motion.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Lauren Willig's bio.
-Click here to visit Lauren Willig's official website.
-Click here to connect with Lauren Willig on Facebook.
 
Click here to enter the contest.
Now in Stores: FAMILY LIFE by Akhil Sharma
FAMILY LIFE by Akhil Sharma (Fiction)
We meet the Mishra family in Delhi in 1978, where eight-year-old Ajay and his older brother, Birju, are waiting for the day when their plane tickets will arrive and they and their mother can fly across the world and join their father in America. Life is extraordinary until tragedy strikes, leaving one brother severely brain-damaged and the other lost and virtually orphaned in a strange land. Ajay prays to a God he envisions as Superman, longing to find his place amid the ruins of his family’s new life. Reviewed by Damian Van Denburgh.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: THE COLD SONG by Linn Ullmann
THE COLD SONG by Linn Ullmann (Mystery)
When Milla is hired as a nanny to allow Siri to work her long hours at the restaurant she owns and her husband, Jon, to supposedly meet the deadline on his book, life in their idyllic summer community takes a dire turn. One rainy July night, Milla disappears without a trace. After her remains are discovered and a suspect is identified, everyone who had any connection with her feels implicated in the tragedy and haunted by what they could have done to prevent it. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
 
Click here to read a review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin
THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY by Gabrielle Zevin (Fiction)
I am wild, wild, wild about Gabrielle Zevin’s THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY, a brilliantly smart --- and fun --- novel that has as its protagonist a charming indie bookseller named A.J.

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage on Alice Island, which houses the store, is the motto "No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World." As the book opens, A.J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means. Left on his doorstep is a baby girl who wins her way into this widower’s heart and changes his world. Layer in the people who live in the town and visit the shop --- including Ismay, his sister-in-law who is determined to get him back into the world; Amelia, his favorite sales rep from Knightley Press; and Lambiase, the town policeman --- and you have a quick but memorable read.

Noted throughout it are books that A.J. recommends and his comments about why readers will love them (known in the biz as shelf talkers). As a fellow booklover, you will enjoy this one. It’s also great for book groups; be sure to talk about A.J.’s recommendations during your discussion!

-Click here to read more about the book.

-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an interview with Gabrielle Zevin.
-Click here to see advance readers' comments about the book.

 
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
More Reviews This Week
LEAN IN: FOR GRADUATES by Sheryl Sandberg (Business/Self-Help)
Expanded and updated exclusively for graduates just entering the workforce, this edition of LEAN IN includes a letter to graduates from Sheryl Sandberg and six additional chapters from experts offering advice on finding and getting the most out of a first job; résumé writing; best interviewing practices; negotiating your salary; listening to your inner voice; owning who you are; and leaning in for millennial men. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

NEW LIFE, NO INSTRUCTIONS: A Memoir by Gail Caldwell (Memoir)
In a span of 10 years, Gail Caldwell had lost her best friend, her mother and her dog. Making matters worse, the polio she'd contracted in her infancy had reduced her stride to a painful limp, and it seemed things would only get worse. Then, a routine doctor's visit revealed that a common surgery could restore her gait. She would soon discover how many other things it would restore: her sense of her self was not in decline, but powerful and potent. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

A FEW SECONDS OF RADIANT FILMSTRIP: A Memoir of Seventh Grade by Kevin Brockmeier (Memoir)
Over the course of one school year --- seventh grade --- 12-year-old Kevin Brockmeier sets out in search of himself. Along the way, he happens into his first kiss at a church party, struggles to understand why his old friends tease him at the lunch table, becomes the talk of the entire school thanks to his Halloween costume, and booby-traps his lunch to deter a thief. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

WARRIORS: An Alex Hawke Novel by Ted Bell (Thriller/Adventure)
When an elderly professor at Cambridge is murdered, a victim of bizarre, ancient Chinese torture, Alex Hawke teams up with his Scotland Yard colleague and friend, Inspector Ambrose Congreve, to find the killer. But the death is only the opening move in a tense and lethal game of geopolitical brinksmanship. Hawke must pull off his most daring mission yet: infiltrate China and neutralize the source of their advantage, or risk witnessing World War III. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

NIGHT DIVER by Elizabeth Lowell (Romantic Suspense)
New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Lowell plunges into the adventurous and deadly world of underwater treasure hunters in a heart-stopping tale that superbly combines atmosphere, action, romance and suspense. Reviewed by Hillary Wagy.

ACTS OF GOD: Stories by Ellen Gilchrist (Fiction/Short Stories)
Ellen Gilchrist’s first collection of short stories since 2005 consists of 10 pieces that take place in the American South, mainly in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. Her characters are good-hearted Southerners, many of them wealthy, who are forced to confront life’s toughest challenges --- from natural disasters to terrorist threats to multiple sclerosis and untimely death --- and who emerge from each experience with a renewed belief in the goodness of human nature. Reviewed by Michael Magras.

WAITING FOR WEDNESDAY: A Frieda Klein Mystery by Nicci French (Mystery)
Ruth Lennox is found dead in a pool of her own blood. Detective Chief Inspector Karlsson can’t piece together a motive and calls in psychotherapist Frieda Klein, hoping her talents will offer a new angle on the case. When it emerges that Ruth was hiding a scandalous secret, her family closes ranks. Then a patient’s chance remark sends Frieda down a dangerous path that seems to lead to a serial killer who has long escaped detection. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

BE SAFE I LOVE YOU by Cara Hoffman (Fiction)
Lauren Clay has returned from a tour of duty in Iraq just in time to spend the holidays with her family. Joining the army allowed Lauren to continue to provide for her family, but it came at a great cost. When she arrives home unexpectedly, it’s clear to everyone in their rural New York town that something is wrong. But her father is so happy to have her home that he ignores her odd behavior and the repeated phone calls from an army psychologist. Reviewed by Damian Van Denburgh.

WE ARE HERE by Michael Marshall (Thriller)
David has traveled to New York with his wife to visit his new publisher. On his way back to Penn Station, he bumps into a stranger who covertly follows him, and then, just before they board the train home, passes him by close enough to whisper: "Remember me." The stranger follows David and his wife back to where they live, and it isn't long before he realizes that this man wants something from him...something very personal, that he may have no choice but to surrender. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
Our Latest Poll: The Smell of a Printed Book?
Do you like the smell of a printed book? People often say that they “love the smell of a printed book.” This is lost on some of us. So we had to ask.

Yes, I like the smell of a printed book.
I have noted this, but it does not matter to me.
I never have smelled a book.
I never have even thought about this!
 
Click here to answer the poll.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win FOUR Books!
Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from April 4th to April 18th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of ASTONISH ME by Maggie Shipstead, THE COLD SONG by Linn Ullmann, FAMILY LIFE by Akhil Sharma, and KEEP QUIET by Lisa Scottoline.

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.

Please note: You must enter your full address, using correct capitalization and filling in all fields if you would like to be eligible to win this prize.

Also, we realize that many times, your opinion of a book will change as you get further along into the story. Thus, to ensure that your comments and ratings accurately reflect your entire reading experience, we ask that you finish reading the book before you submit your comments about it.

One important technical note: If you're using an iPad or another iOS device to access the Word of Mouth page and you would like to enter the contest, you must wait for the page to fully load before you can rate your book. Only then will the stars be clickable.

-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
 
Click here to enter the contest.
Contests Running on Other Sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com
We have a number of contests currently running on our other sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com. Please take a look at them below, and enter for your chance to win some fabulous books!


ReadingGroupGuides.com

Win a Copy of THE APPLE ORCHARD by Susan Wiggs
We're giving 20 readers the opportunity to win a copy of Susan Wiggs's THE APPLE ORCHARD, a story of sisters, friendship, and the invisible bonds of history that are woven like a spell around us. The deadline for entries is Monday, May 5th at noon ET.

Win 10 Copies of THE LAST ORIGINAL WIFE by Dorothea Benton Frank for Your Group
We're giving 10 groups the opportunity to win 10 copies of THE LAST ORIGINAL WIFE by Dorothea Benton Frank, the poignant tale of one audacious woman’s quest to find the love she deserves. The deadline for entries is Monday, May 5th at noon ET.

Win a Copy of ARCADIA by Lauren Groff
We're giving 20 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the New York Times bestseller ARCADIA by Lauren Groff, a novel of ideals, idylls and the impact when utopia clashes with free will. The deadline for entries is Monday, May 5th at noon ET.

Win a Copy of SAFE KEEPING by Barbara Taylor Sissel
We're giving 10 readers the opportunity to win a copy of Barbara Taylor Sissel's SAFE KEEPING, an emotionally charged mystery about a mother who must confront the unfathomable when her son is accused of murder. The deadline for entries is Monday, May 5th at noon ET.

What's Your Book Group Reading This Month? Contest: Win 12 Copies of LOOKING FOR ME by Beth Hoffman for Your Group
April's prize book is LOOKING FOR ME by Beth Hoffman, which blends the author's signature keen emotional insight and Southern sensibility in a richly drawn story that will delight fans old and new.We have 12 copies of the book, which will be available in paperback on April 29th, to give away to three groups. The deadline for entries is Monday, May 5th at noon ET.


Teenreads.com

Spring Fling Giveaway 2014
Spring is finally here, and with it comes warmer weather, blooming flowers...and the chance to win some great new YA books! Enter our Spring Fling contest between now and Thursday, May 1st at noon ET, and you'll be in the running to win a number of fabulous books, all in a signature Teenreads.com tote bag.



FaithfulReader.com

FaithfulReader.com's Monthly Contest
In our latest monthly contest, five readers will win a copy of Meg Moseley's new novel, A STILLNESS OF CHIMES, which poses this question: What if the echoes of past heartaches uncovered an unknown sacrifice that changes everything? The deadline for entries is Monday, April 21st at noon ET.

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.

Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: www.20SomethingReads.com, www.Teenreads.com, www.Kidsreads.com, www.ReadingGroupGuides.com, www.GraphicNovelReporter.com, www.FaithfulReader.com and www.AuthorsOnTheWeb.com.

The Book Report Network
250 W. 57th Street - Suite 1228
New York, New York 10107
connect with us twitterfacebook