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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
March 11, 2016 |
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Spring Forward, March Madness...and LOTS of Good Reading
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Everyone knows that the clocks change this weekend, right? I am working double time here to make up for the anticipated lost hour. Next week I will be jet lagged all week!
Just hours after our newsletter went out last week, I learned the sad news that Pat Conroy, perhaps best known as the author of THE PRINCE OF TIDES and THE GREAT SANTINI, had died at his home in Beaufort, South Carolina at age 70, just weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. My heart goes out to his wife, Cassandra King, whose work we have featured here; his wonderful agent, Marly Rusoff; and all my writer friends who were so close to him. Facebook tributes to him all week have been brilliant; it was like an online wake with loving and special tributes from so many folks. He was such a champion of so many authors, especially southern ones. Reading their comments on social media this week, as well as those from many readers, made me realize that this was an author loved for much more than his written words.
Bookreporter.com's Maya Gittelman reflects on Conroy's life and legacy in this lovely tribute. Here’s a terrific piece about him from NPR, as well as the obituary from his local paper.
Linwood Barclay follows up the success of last year’s BROKEN PROMISE (now available in paperback) with the second installment in his Promise Falls trilogy, FAR FROM TRUE, the latest title in our New Release Spotlight. Shortly after a screen of a run-down drive-in movie theater collapses and kills four people, private investigator Cal Weaver finds himself looking into a recent break-in that reveals a hidden basement room with evidence of salacious activities. Meanwhile, Detective Barry Duckworth is trying to solve two murders --- one that happened three years ago --- that he believes are connected. After another murder plagues Promise Falls, Cal and Barry are driven to pursue their investigations, even if they may lead to terrifying results.
In his glowing review, Joe Hartlaub has this to say: “Barclay, who has demonstrated that he is incapable of writing poorly ever since the publication of his first novel, BAD MOVE, may be in the midst of his magnum opus here. Don’t miss out on this dark tale of small town evil, which will put you equally in the mind of Sherwood Anderson and Raymond Chandler.” In February, a select group of readers won copies of both BROKEN PROMISE and FAR FROM TRUE and an opportunity to comment on them. Take a look at some of their terrific feedback here. We also hear from some readers who already had read BROKEN PROMISE, and they weigh in with their thoughts about FAR FROM TRUE here. I will be making FAR FROM TRUE a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, and you can see my commentary in next week’s newsletter.
Last night, I went to see Elizabeth Brundage as she was in town to promote her new book, ALL THINGS CEASE TO APPEAR; you can see a picture of the two of us above. I have been a fan of Elizabeth’s work since THE DOCTOR’S WIFE. She read, introducing us to each of the key characters and some of their back story, laying out the multi-layers that are part of this story. Her inspiration was an unsolved crime in upstate New York, where the alleged assailant is still walking the streets. She talked about how she crafted the story to be read and savored. Her writing is beautiful, something I realized as she read --- each word carefully selected --- and her descriptions are meticulous. It has a shocker of an open, which is this: One morning in New York, after returning from his job at a local college, George Clare discovers the body of his wife on their bed, with an ax buried in her skull. Their three-year-old daughter, Franny, is unharmed. Even while his parents rescue him from suspicion, George becomes the immediate suspect due to a persistent cop who is determined to prove him a heartless murderer. Meanwhile, three teenage brothers find themselves entangled in the mystery, as the Clares had moved into their childhood home.
Reviewer Megan Elliott calls ALL THINGS CEASE TO APPEAR “an expertly crafted thriller, with vivid, dramatic set pieces...that seem ready for the big-screen treatment. But it’s also a skilled and intelligent work of literary fiction…. [T]hose as interested in unraveling the mysteries of the human heart as they are in figuring out whodunit won’t be able to put this book down.” I heartily agree; it's also the kind of book that rolls out slowly and builds. ALL THINGS CEASE TO APPEAR will be a Bets On pick next week.
On Monday night, I went to a lovely book party for Allison Pataki to celebrate the release of SISI: Empress on Her Own, her third work of historical fiction, which picks up where THE ACCIDENTAL EMPRESS left off. Allison became intrigued by this story as her family has deep roots in the former Habsburg empire of Austria-Hungary. We will have our review next week!
Known as the grandmaster of plot twists, Jeffery Deaver gives us his latest Lincoln Rhyme thriller, THE STEEL KISS. Amelia Sachs is chasing a killer through a Brooklyn department store when an escalator malfunctions and she loses her lead. Teaming up with famed forensic detective Lincoln Rhyme, they come to realize that the incident in Brooklyn might be the first in a series of international attacks. The two find themselves up against one of their most formidable opponents --- a killer who turns common products into murder weapons.
Joe Hartlaub has our review and says, “The mysteries that propel THE STEEL KISS would be enough to bring anyone, whether a casual reader or a mystery aficionado, to the proceedings. But Deaver, as always, offers so much more.... If THE STEEL KISS isn’t shortlisted for a bunch of awards and a whole lot of ‘Best Of’ recognitions, it will only be because enough people failed to read it. Don’t be that person.”
We’re giving away THE STEEL KISS, along with TWO IF BY SEA by Jacquelyn Mitchard, in our Word of Mouth contest. Let us know by Friday, March 18th at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading for your chance to win both titles.
Another eagerly anticipated thriller that released this week is THE TRAVELERS, Chris Pavone’s third novel following THE EXPATS and THE ACCIDENT. Stuck in a constant state of disillusionment, travel writer Will Rhodes is worried that he’s living the wrong life. However, while on assignment for Travelers magazine in Argentina, a beautiful woman makes him an offer he can’t refuse. He is soon taken on a journey across Europe, and as he is pulled deeper and deeper into a network of deception, he realizes that he is part of a deadly conspiracy with terrifying global implications.
The very busy Joe Hartlaub (he can read and write thoughtfully and fast, something for which we are very, very grateful) offers his thoughts on the book in his review: “Pavone’s story and its multiple backdrops are presented in a perfectly paced thriller in which no one entirely knows what is going on until the very end, which you’ll be sorry to see.”
We’re awarding the audio versions of both THE TRAVELERS (read by Paul Michael) and A MOTHER'S RECKONING: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy, written and read by Sue Klebold, in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. Let us know by Friday, April 1st at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and you’ll be in the running to win both prizes.
As promised, our Spring Preview feature is back for a fifth consecutive year! We are spotlighting a number of hot new books --- both current and upcoming releases --- that you may want to consider adding to your reading list. Starting Tuesday, March 15th at noon ET and continuing through Thursday, April 21st, we’ll be hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these books on select days. You’ll have to check the site each day to see which title is being given away --- or you can sign up here for our Spring Preview newsletter to be notified when contests go live.
Next week, we’ll be awarding these books to the winners of our first three giveaways: HEART OF GLASS: A Memoir by Wendy Lawless (I loved her previous memoir, CHANEL BONFIRE), ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life by John O'Leary (I had the pleasure of meeting John earlier this year, and he is completely inspiring; I highly recommend this book if you want to hone in on what really matters and live life to the fullest) and SAVING ALEX: When I Was Fifteen I Told My Mormon Parents I Was Gay, and That's When My Nightmare Began by Alex Cooper with Joanna Brooks (I started SAVING ALEX one morning this week; when I looked up, I was 100 pages in!).
Our poll continues to ask where you find information online about authors. Click here to cast your vote!
The finalists for this year’s PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction have been announced. Among them are DELICIOUS FOODS by James Hannaham and THE SYMPATHIZER by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Click here for the five nominees and more info about the award; the winner will be announced on April 5th.
When we left off last week, I was into the cookbook pare-down, which was declared a success. The books are now organized, and, more than that, there are five shopping bags less of them. For humor, I went to dinner at Spice Market on Tuesday night and loved every bite. I left wondering if they had a cookbook. I found ASIAN FLAVORS OF JEAN-GEORGES, which features recipes from Spice Market. I am hopeless!
News and Pop Culture:
Reader Mail: Bobbie from North Carolina shared that she “has listened to the audiobook of THE PASSENGER (I know ya'll reviewed it), but I just finished listening to it on Audible. Very interesting storyline, and I enjoyed the narrator, if you are looking for something to listen to!” Duly noted!
Ellen from Arapahoe, CO wrote, “I have been a subscriber to the Bookreporter newsletter for a long time. It is always a toss up: Do I look forward to Friday because the weekend is here, or because the new edition of Bookreporter arrives today? Sometimes when my husband wants to go to a movie on a Friday evening, it can be difficult to wait until we get home to start reading the newsletter. I live in Denver and work as an Admin Assist for one of the Libraries in metro Denver. Even though I don't work the floor at the library, patrons ask me questions about books or ways to find a good read when I am checking on something on the floor. I give them Bookreporter.com as a resource. I enjoy your newsletter and everyone's book recommendations.” Thank you, Ellen! Sorry that we will not be able to meet at the Public Library Association Convention; I am there for a brisk 48 hours!
Elaine wrote, “I, too, have a cookbook from a ski vacation at Vail/Beaver Creek. Actually, I use it often as it has fairly simple recipes. Your comment made me think back to those trips to Vail and the fun times we had as a family. My Vail cookbook is MORE KITCHEN KEEPSAKES…it’s one of those 'shared' recipe books that is a fundraiser for a community group, but I love it. It has my go-to banana bread recipe, a favorite scallop dish, and many more as evidenced by the wear and tear of the pages. I took it out and am now browsing to find something new and different! Also, thanks for Bookreporter.com...I look forward to it every Friday and enjoy talking about your recommendations with friends.”
Suzanne wrote, “You have no idea how pleased I was to learn you are 14 years ahead of my unpacking! For 12 years my guilt never fails to kick into place when I drive out of the garage and pass by the boxes against the wall. You are so fortunate not to be reminded on a daily basis (and also not to have a husband reminding you every so often that the boxes are STILL there). It's just too difficult to think of what to do with the contents --- my reason for them to continue living in the garage.”
Lori wrote, ”I just read your weekly column, and I thought you might be interested in a website that someone recommended to me: eatyourbooks.com. They have a program that lets you enter the cookbooks or cooking magazines you own, and then you can search your own library for particular recipes, ingredients, whatever. They have a limited free version and an unlimited version with a monthly subscription fee. It might come in handy for you.” I signed up and am tinkering around with this!
THE CHARM BRACELET Giveaway: Debbie Macomber is teaming up on a very special giveaway with Viola Shipman, author of the upcoming THE CHARM BRACELET. From now until March 22nd (the day the book releases), you can enter for a chance to win some fabulous prizes. Among them are a $500 Pandora gift card, a signed copy of THE CHARM BRACELET, and a gift basket of all of Debbie’s cookbooks. Click here for the contest details and to fill out the entry form.
“Bosch”: Season two returns today on Amazon Video. Time to tune in.
“House of Cards”: I am up to episode five and loving it. There is so much conniving and intrigue that you cannot look away for a second.
“The Americans”: The new season kicks off on March 16th. Here is some backstory for you.
“Game of Thrones” trailer: The season six trailer is finally here! A great way to whet your appetite before the April 24th season premiere.
Straight Outta Compton: Tom and I got our dose of hip-hop culture last week watching this really well-done film.
Read This: “On The Day I Die”. Lots to think about there.
Also Read This: “Losing Everything”. Sidenote: Allison runs Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena (a store that makes me want to move to that town, just so I could shop there.)
“The Good Wife”: FINALLY Alicia and the investigator got together. Glad they did not wait until the series finale!
My humor for the week is that I have learned that our town is having its Easter egg hunt on April 9th. Why is that humorous? Because Easter is March 27th. I am thinking people can bring their ready-dyed eggs for their kids to find; you know the ones that “the day after” mean lots of egg salad. I am wondering how they will explain the appearance of the Easter Bunny two weeks after Easter. Did he decide to hop back into town?
Greg and I worked at home on Wednesday and today on a big project that we wanted to focus on. We abandoned working in separate rooms to sit on the couch and edit together. I decided that this must be what it is like to work in the writers’ room on a TV show. But without the good snacks.
March Madness has invaded our home…and I am talking basketball, not politics. Getting ready to line up the brackets.
Cory’s spring break starts today. He’s still up in the air on his plans. He ended up shaving his head for the fundraiser last week; he said that as the chair of philanthropy, he felt he needed to inspire others. He texted me a photo and said, “I love you, Mom!” I reminded him that I knitted him a really nice hat.
Lined up for the weekend is an advance reading copy of Mary Kay Andrews’ upcoming book, THE WEEKENDERS (in stores May 17th). I think that the crazy warm weather we've been having in the New York area will make this feel like a beach reads kind of weekend. Tom and my dad already got a round of golf in!
Read on, and have a great week...albeit with one less hour!
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound |
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"Hey Out There": In Remembrance and Appreciation of Pat Conroy, 1945-2016
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We at Bookreporter.com are deeply saddened by the heartbreaking news that bestselling author Pat Conroy has died at the age of 70. He passed away at his home in Beaufort, South Carolina, surrounded by family and loved ones, following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Perhaps best known as the author of THE PRINCE OF TIDES and THE GREAT SANTINI, Conroy also wrote THE BOO, THE WATER IS WIDE, THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE, BEACH MUSIC, MY LOSING SEASON, THE PAT CONROY COOKBOOK, SOUTH OF BROAD, MY READING LIFE and THE DEATH OF SANTINI. Bookreporter.com's Maya Gittelman reflects on Conroy's extraordinary life and works in this wonderful tribute.
-Read reviews of MY LOSING SEASON, SOUTH OF BROAD and THE DEATH OF SANTINI.
-See discussion guides for THE PRINCE OF TIDES, BEACH MUSIC, SOUTH OF BROAD, MY READING LIFE and THE DEATH OF SANTINI.
-Click here to read Pat Conroy's bio.
-Visit Pat Conroy's official website and Facebook page.
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Click here to read our tribute to Pat Conroy. |
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New Release Spotlight: FAR FROM TRUE by Linwood Barclay
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FAR FROM TRUE: A Promise Falls Novel by Linwood Barclay (Thriller)
After the screen of a run-down drive-in movie theater collapses and kills four people, the daughter of one of the victims asks private investigator Cal Weaver to look into a recent break-in at her father’s house. Cal discovers a hidden basement room where it’s clear that salacious activities have taken place --- as well as evidence of missing DVDs. But his investigation soon becomes more complicated when he realizes it may not be discs the thief was actually interested in.
Meanwhile, Detective Barry Duckworth is still trying to solve two murders --- one of which is three years old --- that he believes are connected, since each featured a similar distinctive wound.
As the lies begin to unravel, Cal is headed straight into the heart of a dark secret as his search uncovers more startling truths about Promise Falls. And when yet another murder happens, Cal and Barry are both driven to pursue their investigations, no matter where they lead. Evil deeds long thought buried are about to haunt the residents of this town --- as the sins of the past and present collide with terrifying results.
-Click here to read a review.
-See comments from readers about FAR FROM TRUE and the Promise Falls trilogy.
-Click here to see our series feature for the Promise Falls trilogy.
-Click here to read Linwood Barclay's bio.
-Visit Linwood Barclay's official website and YouTube channel.
-Connect with Linwood Barclay on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight. |
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Now in Stores: THE STEEL KISS by Jeffery Deaver
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THE STEEL KISS: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver (Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini
Amelia Sachs is chasing a killer through a department store in Brooklyn when an escalator malfunctions. The stairs give way, with one man horribly mangled by the gears. Sachs is forced to let her quarry escape as she jumps in to try to help save the victim. She and famed forensic detective Lincoln Rhyme soon learn, however, that the incident may not have been an accident at all, but the first in a series of intentional attacks. They find themselves up against one of their most formidable opponents ever: a brilliant killer who turns common products into murder weapons. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: THE TRAVELERS by Chris Pavone
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THE TRAVELERS by Chris Pavone (Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Paul Michael
Meet Will Rhodes: travel writer, recently married, barely solvent, his idealism rapidly giving way to disillusionment and the worry that he’s living the wrong life. Then one night, on assignment for the award-winning Travelers magazine in the wine region of Argentina, a beautiful woman makes him an offer he can’t refuse. As he’s drawn further into a tangled web of international intrigue, it becomes clear that nothing about Will Rhodes was ever ordinary, that the network of deception ensnaring him is part of an immense and deadly conspiracy with terrifying global implications --- and that the people closest to him may pose the greatest threat of all. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: ALL THINGS CEASE TO APPEAR by Elizabeth Brundage
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ALL THINGS CEASE TO APPEAR by Elizabeth Brundage (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, narrated by Kirsten Potter
Late one winter afternoon in upstate New York, George Clare comes home to find his wife murdered and their three-year-old daughter alone in her room. And he is the immediate suspect --- the question of his guilt echoing in a story shot through with secrets both personal and professional. While his parents rescue him from suspicion, a persistent cop is stymied at every turn in proving Clare a heartless murderer. The pall of death is ongoing and relentless; behind one crime are others, and more than 20 years will pass before a hard kind of justice is finally served. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to visit Elizabeth Brundage's official website.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Announcing Bookreporter.com's Fifth Annual Spring Preview Contests and Feature
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Spring is in the air (or will be very soon)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases. Our fifth annual Spring Preview Contests and Feature spotlights many of these picks, which we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We will be hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through April 21st. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
Our first prize book will be announced on Tuesday, March 15th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include:
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Click here to read all the contest details and see our featured titles. |
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Now in Stores: WHAT IS NOT YOURS IS NOT YOURS by Helen Oyeyemi
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WHAT IS NOT YOURS IS NOT YOURS: Stories by Helen Oyeyemi (Fiction/Short Stories)
WHAT IS NOT YOURS IS NOT YOURS is built around the idea of keys, literal and metaphorical. The key to a house, the key to a heart, the key to a secret --- Helen Oyeyemi’s keys not only unlock elements of her characters’ lives, they promise further labyrinths on the other side. In “Books and Roses” one special key opens a library, a garden and clues to at least two lovers’ fates. In “Is Your Blood as Red as This?” an unlikely key opens the heart of a student at a puppeteering school. And in “If a Book Is Locked There’s Probably a Good Reason for That Don't You Think,” a key keeps a mystical diary locked (for good reason). Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: GONE AGAIN by James Grippando
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GONE AGAIN: A Jack Swyteck Novel by James Grippando (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Jonathan Davis
Jack Swyteck is called to action when teenager Sashi Burgette vanishes on her way to school. The night after Sashi’s disappearance, ex-con Dylan Kyle was stopped for drunk driving and a piece of her clothing was found in his truck. A police videotape of his drunken explanation under interrogation sealed his fate at trial. Now, just days from Kyle’s execution, Sashi’s mother visits Jack and delivers shocking news: “Sashi called me.” Unconvinced that the case is closed, Jack jumps into the investigation. But the deeper he digs, the more he discovers that nothing is what it appears to be. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Two Special Contests on Kidsreads.com: Enter to Win ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE PERRY T. COOK and FIZZOPOLIS
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We wanted to call your attention to two special contests on our Kidsreads.com site. We're giving readers the chance to win two fabulous books that have just been released: ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE PERRY T. COOK by Leslie Connor and FIZZPOLIS by Patrick Carman. Read below for more info, and then enter for a chance to win these titles for the young readers in your life.
ALL RISE FOR THE HONORABLE PERRY T. COOK by Leslie Connor (Mystery)
Eleven-year-old Perry was born and raised by his mom at the Blue River Co-ed Correctional Facility in tiny Surprise, Nebraska. His mom is a resident on Cell Block C, and so far Warden Daugherty has made it possible for them to be together. That is, until a new district attorney discovers the truth --- and Perry is removed from the facility and forced into a foster home. When Perry moves to the “outside” world, he feels trapped. Desperate to be reunited with his mom, Perry goes on a quest for answers about her past crime. As he gets closer to the truth, he will discover that love makes people resilient no matter where they come from. But can he find a way to tell everyone what home truly means?
-Click here to enter the contest by Thursday, March 24th at noon ET. We have 10 copies to give away!
FIZZOPOLIS: The Trouble with Fuzzwonker Fizz written by Patrick Carman, illustrated by Brian Sheesley (Humor/Adventure)
Harold Fuzzwonker is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary fizzy friend, Floyd. But Floyd is a secret --- like a top super-secret. Harold must protect him, as well as the family recipe for Fuzzwonker Fizz, from the evil Snood Candy Factory. But it’s hard to guard a secret when he’s your best good buddy and he always escapes from your backpack! Harold chronicles his epic adventures --- with a little artistic help from Floyd --- that are sure to have Fuzzwonker Fizz squirting out your nose!
-Click here to enter the contest by Tuesday, April 26th at noon ET. We have 50 copies to give away!
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Click here to visit Kidsreads.com. |
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More Reviews This Week
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OPENING BELLE by Maureen Sherry (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Julia Whelan
In 2008, Isabelle appears to have it all: an Upper West Side apartment, three healthy children, a handsome husband and a high-powered job. But her reality is something else. Her work environment resembles a 1980s frat party, her husband feels that employment is beneath him, and the bulk of childcare and homecare still falls to Belle. As she deals with her former college fiancé, Henry, becoming her biggest client and a group of sexually harassed women beginning to organize, Belle can sense the financial markets heading toward their soon-to-be historic crash and that something has to give. Reviewed by Jesse Kornbluth for HeadButler.com.
GOODBYE TO THE DEAD by Brian Freeman (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Joe Barrett
Detective Jonathan Stride is haunted by his first wife Cindy’s death, even as he maintains a relationship with fellow detective Serena Dial. When Serena witnesses a brutal murder outside a bar, she stumbles onto a case that goes back to the last year of Cindy's life. At the time, Stride and Cindy were on opposing sides of an investigation that ended up sending Cindy’s friend, Janine, to prison for shooting her husband. During the current investigation, Serena finds a gun used in the murder of a woman connected to an organized crime syndicate --- a gun that turns out to be the same one used to kill Janine’s husband. Two unrelated cases years apart suddenly have a mysterious connection, and Stride must not only investigate, but also confront his past. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE CARDINALS WAY: How One Team Embraced Tradition and Moneyball at the Same Time by Howard Megdal (Sports)
Despite years of phenomenal achievements, including going to the World Series in 2004 and again in 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals reinvented themselves using the "Cardinal Way," a term that has come to represent many things to fans, media and other organizations --- from an ironclad code of conduct to the team's cutting-edge use of statistics and analytics, and a farm system that has transformed baseball. Howard Megdal takes fans behind the scenes and off the field, revealing how the players are assessed and groomed using an unrivaled player development system that has created a franchise that is the envy of the baseball world. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
WE LOVE YOU, CHARLIE FREEMAN by Kaitlyn Greenidge (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Cherise Boothe, Karole Foreman and Myra Lucretia Taylor
The Freeman family has been invited to the Toneybee Institute to participate in a research experiment. They will live in an apartment on campus with Charlie, a young chimp abandoned by his mother. The Freemans were selected for the experiment because they know sign language; they are supposed to teach it to Charlie and welcome him as a member of their family. Isolated in their new, nearly all-white community not just by their race but by their strange living situation, the Freemans come undone. And when daughter Charlotte discovers the truth about the Institute’s history of questionable studies, the secrets of the past begin to invade the present. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
SPILL SIMMER FALTER WITHER by Sara Baume (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by John Keating
It is springtime, and two outcasts --- a man ignored, even shunned by his village, and the one-eyed dog he takes into his quiet, tightly shuttered life --- find each other, by accident or fate, and forge an unlikely connection. As their friendship grows, their small, seaside town suddenly takes note of them, falsely perceiving menace where there is only mishap; the unlikely duo must take to the road. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE TWO-FAMILY HOUSE by Lynda Cohen Loigman (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Barrie Kreinik
Brooklyn, 1947: In the midst of a blizzard, in a two-family brownstone, two babies are born minutes apart to two women. They are sisters by marriage with an impenetrable bond forged before and during that dramatic night. But as the years progress, small cracks start to appear, and their once-deep friendship begins to unravel. No one knows why, and no one can stop it. One misguided choice; one moment of tragedy. Heartbreak wars with happiness and almost --- but not quite --- wins. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
VERSION CONTROL by Dexter Palmer (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by January LaVoy
Rebecca Wright has found her way out of grief and depression following a personal tragedy years ago. She spends her days working in customer support for the Internet dating site where she first met her husband. However, she has a persistent, strange sense that everything around her is somewhat off-kilter. Her husband Philip's decade-long dedication to the causality violation device (which he would greatly prefer you do not call a "time machine") has effectively stalled his career and made him a laughingstock in the physics community. But he may be closer to success than either of them knows or imagines. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
PEACEKEEPING by Mischa Berlinski (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Ben Williams
When Terry White, a former deputy sheriff and a failed politician, goes broke in the 2007–2008 financial crisis, he takes a job working for the UN, helping to train the Haitian police. He is sent to the remote town of Jérémie, where he is swept up in their complex politics when he befriends an earnest, reforming American-educated judge. Soon he convinces the judge to oppose the corrupt but charismatic Sénateur Maxim Bayard in an upcoming election. But when Terry falls in love with the judge’s wife, the electoral drama threatens to become a disaster. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
SON OF THE MORNING: A Novel of the Hundred Years War by Mark Alder (Historical Fantasy)
England, 1337: Edward III is beset on all sides, plagued by debt and surrounded by doubters. He refuses to pay homage to the newly crowned Philip Valois of France and seeks to secure his French holdings, but he is outmanned. Philip can put 50,000 men in the field, but he is having his own problems: he has summoned the angels themselves to fight for France, but the angels refuse to fight. Both kings send priests far and wide, seeking holy relics and heavenly beings to take up the cause of their country, but God remains stubbornly silent, refusing to grant favor to either side. Reviewed by Carly Silver. |
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Next Week's Notables: Noteworthy Books Releasing on March 14th and 15th
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Below are some notable titles releasing on March 14th and 15th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks releasing the week of March 14th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
March 14th
PRIVATE PARIS by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan (Thriller)
After getting a call from his client, asking him to track down his young granddaughter who is on the run from a brutal drug dealer, Jack Morgan finds himself entangled in a web of crimes in the City of Lights.
March 15th
AS CLOSE TO US AS BREATHING by Elizabeth Poliner (Fiction)
When a terrible accident occurs in the beloved family cottage of sisters Ada, Vivie and Bec, a summer of hope and self-discovery transforms into a lifetime of atonement and loss.
AT THE EDGE OF THE ORCHARD by Tracy Chevalier (Historical Fiction)
In the muddy, stagnant swamps of northwest Ohio, James and Sadie Goodenough and their five children work relentlessly to tame their patch of land so they can cultivate the 50 apple trees required to stake their claim on the property. But the orchard they plant sows the seeds of a long battle.
DEEP BLUE by Randy Wayne White (Thriller)
Doc Ford’s shadowy, double life catches up with him as he works to stop the sinister plans of a mysterious ISIS follower who has already executed three hostages on video.
HEART OF GLASS: A Memoir by Wendy Lawless (Memoir)
Wendy Lawless follows up CHANEL BONFIRE by chronicling her misguided 20s --- a darkly funny story of a girl without a roadmap for life who flees her disastrous past to find herself in the gritty heart of 1980s New York City.
PROPERTY OF A NOBLEWOMAN by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
A woman’s legacy --- shaped by tragedy, fortitude and undying devotion --- transforms lives and hearts long after she is gone, and fulfills at last her most precious bequest.
RIGHTFUL HERITAGE: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Land of America by Douglas Brinkley (History)
Douglas Brinkley chronicles Franklin Delano Roosevelt's essential yet under-sung legacy as the founder of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and premier protector of America’s public lands.
TWO IF BY SEA by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Fiction)
When Frank Mercy pulls Ian from a submerged car, he makes it his duty to protect the little boy and keep him safe from the sinister group that wants him back.
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Our Latest Poll: Finding Info about Authors
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Where do you go online to find information about authors? Please check as many as apply.
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Amazon author pages
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Author websites
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BN.com
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Bookreporter.com
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Google their names
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Twitter
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None of the above
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Click here to vote in the poll. |
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Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
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Tell us about the books you've finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from March 4th to March 18th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE STEEL KISS: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver and TWO IF BY SEA by Jacquelyn Mitchard.
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 rules and guidelines, click here.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
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Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from March 1st to April 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of A MOTHER'S RECKONING: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy, written and read by Sue Klebold, and Chris Pavone's THE TRAVELERS, read by Paul Michael.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, 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.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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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.
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