Bookreporter.com Updates

Friday, August 12, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Dupcak) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:07:00 +0000

The titles below are discussed in the August 12th Bookreporter.com Newsletter Opener, which can be read here :

THE HELP by Kathryn StockettLET'S TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME by Gail Caldwell

The following are reviews, excerpts, interviews and features that currently appear on the Bookreporter.com homepage:

Reviews and Excerpts

THE ACCIDENT by Linwood Barclay (Thriller)
A typical American community descends into darkness, as an ordinary man is swept into one of the most violent mysteries of modern life. Pursued by mysterious killers and confronted by threats from neighbors he thought he knew, Glen must take his own desperate measures and go to terrifying new places in himself to avenge his wife and protect his child. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND by Lisa Unger (Thriller)
After giving up his post at the Hollows Police Department, Jones Cooper is at loose ends. He’s having trouble facing a horrible event from his past and finding a second act. Then, on a brisk October morning, he has a visitor. Eloise Montgomery, the psychic who plays a key role in FRAGILE, comes to him with predictions about his future --- some of which are dire. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

THE MAGICIAN KING by Lev Grossman (Fantasy)
THE MAGICIANS took the fantasy world by storm when it released in 2009. Now, in THE MAGICIAN KING, author Lev Grossman takes us back to Fillory, where the Brakebills graduates have fled the sorrows of the mundane world, only to face terrifying new challenges. Reviewed by Max Falkowitz.

DROP BY DROP by Keith Raffel (Thriller)
Stanford professor Sam Rockman suffers the crushing loss of his wife in a bombing at San Francisco Airport. Casting about to find meaning in the ruins of his life, he accepts an offer to come to Washington, D.C. to work for the Senate Intelligence Committee. What Sam wants out of his stint in D.C. is revenge for the death of his wife. What he gets is danger and betrayal. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Visit www.KeithRaffel.com.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
It's anything but a Happy Birthday for Valerie Wyatt, queen of gracious entertaining; April Wyatt, Valerie's daughter and top-notch restaurateur; and Jack Adams, retired NFL star. But after their lives intersect in a shocking way, happiness may be just around the corner. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

A DEATH IN SUMMER by Benjamin Black (Mystery)
On a sweltering summer afternoon, newspaper tycoon Richard Jewell --- known to his many enemies as Diamond Dick --- is discovered with his head blown off by a shotgun blast. But is it suicide or murder? For help with the investigation, Detective Inspector Hackett calls in his old friend Quirke, who has unusual access to Dublin's elite. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

A SMALL HOTEL by Robert Olen Butler (Fiction)
Set in contemporary New Orleans but working its way back in time, A SMALL HOTEL chronicles the relationship between Michael and Kelly Hays, who have decided to separate after 24 years of marriage. Rather than go to court on the day they are to finalize their divorce, Kelly drives to the hotel where they fell in love some 25 years earlier, and where she now finds herself about to make a decision that will forever affect her. Reviewed by Joni Kretzmer.

MY LUCKY LIFE IN AND OUT OF SHOW BUSINESS: A Memoir by Dick Van Dyke (Memoir)
MY LUCKY LIFE IN AND OUT OF SHOW BUSINESS will be appreciated by every generation of reader, from baby-boomers who recall when Rob Petrie became a household name, to all those still enchanted by Bert's "Chim Chim Cher-ee." This is a lively, heartwarming memoir of a performer who still thinks of himself as a "simple song-and-dance man," but who is, in every sense of the word, a classic entertainer. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.

THE THREE OF US: Growing Up with Tammy and George by Georgette Jones (Memoir)
THE THREE OF US is an honest and heartfelt look into the life of a broken family living in the glare of the public spotlight. Like so many of her generation, Georgette Jones had to make sense of loving two parents who couldn't love each other. With never-before-told stories about George Jones and Tammy Wynette, it recounts Tammy's descent into prescription pill addiction, her dependence on her fifth husband, George Richey, and her untimely death at the age of 55. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

THREAT WARNING by John Gilstrap (Thriller)
The first victims are random. Ordinary citizens, fired upon at rush hour by unseen assassins. Caught in the crossfire of one of the attacks, rescue specialist Jonathan Grave spies a gunman getting away --- with a mother and her young son as hostages. To free them, Grave and his team must enter the dark heart of a nationwide conspiracy. Their search reaches all the way to the highest levels of power. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THIEVES GET RICH, SAINTS GET SHOT by Jodi Compton (Mystery)
In HAILEY'S WAR, West Point dropout Hailey Cain had defied a powerful mobster to protect a pregnant teenager and child. At the heart of this thrilling novel is a complex case of stolen identity, ruthless motives and violent crime that puts Hailey back on the road, with her old friend Warchild by her side, to reclaim her name and chase down the murderer who has taken it. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

BLOODLINE by Mark Billingham (Thriller)
The past is coming back to haunt the people of London: a murderer is targeting the children of victims of Raymond Garvey, an infamous serial killer from London's past. When Murder Squad veteran Detective Tom Thorne is called into what seems like, for once, an ordinary domestic murder, he thinks he's caught a break. But when a mysterious sliver of bloodstained X-ray that was found clutched in the victim's fist is replicated at other crime scenes around the city, Thorne realizes this is not a simple case. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

Fall Preview Feature and Contest

Fall is almost upon us, which is known as the biggest season of the year for books! The titles that come out in fall often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. Here are some publisher picks that we know people will be talking about. Each day we will spotlight a different title and offer a contest to win one of three copies of the book. Check the site each day to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special daily newsletter to announce each day's title, which you can sign up for here.

Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, August 15th at noon ET.

-Click here to see this year's featured titles.
-Click here to receive our special newsletter announcing each day’s prize book.

Bookreporter.com's Sneak Peek
BOND GIRL by Erin Duffy (Fiction)

At Bookreporter.com, we have the opportunity to read many great books well in advance of their release dates. Now, with our Sneak Peek Feature/Contest, we are offering our readers the chance to preview select early picks --- and share feedback on them. We know that readers champion books that they love, and we want you to be part of the excitement of upcoming releases as early as possible.

Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights BOND GIRL by Erin Duffy --- a novel of one hardworking, young bond trader's adventures on Wall Street --- which releases in January 2012. We have 100 specially formatted early reader editions to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and share their comments about it. We really want to hear what you have to say about BOND GIRL, so if you will have time to read it and answer some questions by Monday, September 19th, please enter this contest. If not, we plan to have more opportunities like this in the future.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Erin Duffy’s bio.

Author Spotlight/Mystery Mayhem

NORTHWEST ANGLE by William Kent Krueger (Mystery)

With his family caught in the crosshairs of a group of brutal killers, detective Cork O’Connor must solve the murder of a young girl in the latest installment of William Kent Krueger’s unforgettable New York Times bestselling series. During a houseboat vacation on the remote Lake of the Woods, a violent gale sweeps through unexpectedly, stranding Cork and his daughter, Jenny, on a devastated island where the wind has ushered in a force far darker and more deadly than any storm. Amid the wreckage, Cork and Jenny discover an old trapper’s cabin where they find the body of a teenage girl.

We have 20 copies of NORTHWEST ANGLE, which will be in stores August 30th, to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, August 19th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read William Kent Krueger’s bio.
-Visit www.WilliamKentKrueger.com.

Author Spotlight/One-to-Watch
THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh (Fiction)
The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it's been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now 18 and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them.

We have 20 copies of THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS, which will be in stores August 23rd, to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, August 12th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to see the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s bio.

COMING UP FOR AIR by Patti Callahan Henry (Fiction) Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband --- between her reality and the woman she wants to be --- she doesn’t quite seem to fit into her own life. But everything changes after her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away. Ellie’s world turns upside down when she sees her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, at her mother’s funeral and learns that he is in charge of a documentary that involved Lillian before her death. He wants answers to questions that Ellie is not sure she can face, until, in the painful midst of going through her mother’s things, she discovers a hidden diary --- and a window onto stories buried long ago.

-Click here to read a third excerpt.
-Click here to read Patti Callahan Henry’s bio.
-Visit www.PattiCallahanHenry.com.

Paperback SpotlightREDEEMING LOVE by Francine Rivers (Historical Fiction)
California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep. Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.

Then she meets Michael Hosea, a man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything. Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.

A powerful retelling of the story of Gomer and Hosea, REDEEMING LOVE is a life-changing story of unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Francine Rivers’s bio.
-Visit www.FrancineRivers.com.

Books on Screen

One of the most highly anticipated films of the summer, The Help, is now in theaters. Based on the widely-read and deeply moving novel by Kathryn Stockett, the story is set at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement, as three Mississippi women are about to take one extraordinary step that will put them all at risk.

Also gracing the big screen this month is Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the seventh film in the Apes legacy. Still derived from the original novel by Pierre Boulle, this new offering is a precursor set in present-day San Francisco, where experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and, eventually, all-out war. Conan the Barbarian is also reviving a legacy. Robert E. Howard originally published his Conan stories in 1954, and the movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was released back in 1982. Now, Conan the Barbarian sees a personal vendetta for the fierce Cimmerian warrior turning into an epic battle.

On a different note, One Day --- from the novel of the same name by David Nicholls --- is a story about the nature of love and life itself. Beginning on July 15, 1988, the movie follows two characters for the next two decades, as key moments of their relationship are experienced over several July 15ths.

Another story about one's personal outlook on life --- The Hedgehog, based on Muriel Barbery's THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG --- is about a serious 11-year-old girl who has decided to kill herself on her 12th birthday...until she meets some kindred spirits in her very own building.

As for small-screen happenings, two popular television shows based on books are currently airing their second seasons. "Rizzoli & Isles" on TNT brings to life Tess Gerritsen's beloved characters, Detective Jane Rizzoli and Medical Examiner Maura Isles --- complete opposites and good friends who solve crimes together. And ABC Family has brought back "Pretty Little Liars", inspired by Sara Shepard's young adult series. The "little liars" are actually four estranged friends whose darkest secrets are about to unravel.

Available on DVD this month are six films worth your time and attention, whether for the first or second time: The Conspirator, Jane Eyre, Mars Needs Moms, Priest, Something Borrowed and Soul Surfer.

New in Paperback
Weeks of: August 1st, August 8th, August 15th, August 22nd, August 29th

Click here to read the full newsletter.

Monday, August 5, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Dupcak) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:07:00 +0000

The titles below are discussed in the August 5th Bookreporter.com Newsletter Opener, which can be read here :

CLEOPATRA'S MOON by Vicky Alvear Shecter

DAMAGE CONTROL by Denise Hamilton

THE LAST EMBRACE by Denise Hamilton

THE MOST DANGEROUS THING by Laura Lippman

WHEN SHE WOKE by Hillary Jordan

The following are reviews, excerpts, interviews and features that currently appear on the Bookreporter.com homepage:

Reviews
COLD VENGEANCE by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Thriller)
Devastated by the discovery that his wife, Helen, was murdered, Special Agent Pendergast must have retribution. But revenge is not simple. As he stalks his wife's betrayers, he is also forced to dig further into Helen's past. And he is stunned to learn that Helen may have been a collaborator in her own murder. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

THE WILD ROSE by Jennifer Donnelly (Historical Fiction)
THE WILD ROSE concludes the sweeping, multi-generational saga that began with THE TEA ROSE and continued with THE WINTER ROSE. It is London, 1914, when World War I looms on the horizon, women are fighting to vote, and explorers are pushing the limits of endurance in the most forbidding corners of the earth. Into this volatile time, Jennifer Donnelly places her vivid and memorable characters. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

THE SIXES by Kate White (Thriller)
A secret circle of really mean girls --- the dark side of female empowerment --- becomes the nemesis of a gutsy journalist heroine in this intriguing new thriller from the bestselling author of HUSH and the Bailey Weggins mystery series. Reviewed by Kathy Weissman.

THE GENTLEMEN’S HOUR by Don Winslow (Thriller)
Boone Daniels, the former cop turned PI, begins each day with the Dawn Patrol, a close-knit group of surfers. It’s the life Boone loves. To him, “There’s no such thing as a bad day at the beach.” So when one of their own is murdered --- especially an icon like Kelly Kuhio, a local hero --- and another surfer, a young punk from the Rockpile Crew, stands accused, the small world of Pacific Beach is rocked to its core. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

ADRENALINE by Jeff Abbott (Thriller)
Sam Capra ---- brilliant CIA agent, loving husband, expectant father --- loses everything that matters to him in a horrifying moment in London. An unknown enemy has set him up as a traitor. But that enemy has targeted the wrong man. Escaping from the CIA, Sam goes on a desperate hunt for the killer who stole his family, and must save his kidnapped wife and child. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

A GOOD HARD LOOK by Ann Napolitano (Fiction)
In the Milledgeville, Georgia of the early 1960s, ailing writer Flannery O’Connor and three other townspeople enter into relationships with disastrous consequences --- for them and the rest of their small town. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.

REIGN OF MADNESS by Lynn Cullen (Historical Fiction)
Princess Juana of Castile knows she may never inherit the Spanish crown, but she also is aware of her royal duty --- to marry and produce heirs. She begins her arranged marriage not knowing what to expect. But when circumstances change dramatically, Juana finds herself queen, and rumors of madness begin to circulate. Who is to be believed --- a young, love-infatuated queen or her well-liked husband? Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.

ALICE BLISS by Laura Harrington (Fiction)
When Alice Bliss learns that her father is being deployed to Iraq, she's heartbroken. Alice idolizes her father, and he will miss seeing his daughter blossom from a tomboy into a full-blown teenager. At once universal and very personal, this is a transforming story about those who are left at home during wartime, and a teenage girl bravely facing the future. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

WILLIAM & CATHERINE: Their Story by Andrew Morton (Current Events)
For all who were fascinated by the pageantry and majesty of England’s royal wedding of the year, or who are simply enthralled by the royal family, WILLIAM & CATHERINE is the true tale of Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s fairy-tale romance and marriage in a hardcover edition that’s full of glossy photos and insider stories. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

JUST ONE CATCH: A Biography of Joseph Heller by Tracy Daugherty (Biography)
Joseph’s Heller’s CATCH-22 was one of the most influential novels of the second half of the 20th century. In this first full-length biography, Tracy Daugherty demonstrates equal skill at exploring Heller’s work and his colorful life. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

THE PARADISE PROPHECY by Robert Browne (Thriller)
An ancient mystery linked to religious dogma, coded messages and fallen angels who wander the earth are the crux of THE PARADISE PROPHECY. Government agent Bernadette Callahan and religious historian Sebastian “Batty” LaLaurie race against time to decode an archaic text and try to defeat diabolical forces bent on destroying mankind. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.

THE PACK by Jason Starr (Thriller)
When Simon Burns is fired from his job, he takes on the role of stay-at-home dad for his three-year-old son. He meets a tight-knit trio of dads at the playground, and soon realizes they are different from other men he has met --- stronger and more confident, more at ease with the darker side of life. Simon is lured into their mix. As he experiences disturbing changes in his body, he suspects that when the guys welcomed him to their "pack," they were talking about much more than male bonding. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

PACIFIC HEIGHTS by Paul Harper (Thriller)
A man plays dangerous mind games with his lovers when he unearths some innermost secrets from their analyst’s files. When the doctor discovers what’s happening, she hires ex-cop Marten Fane, who employs some rather unorthodox methods, to clean up his client’s problems. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

Fall Preview Feature and Contest

Fall is almost upon us, which is known as the biggest season of the year for books! The titles that come out in fall often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. Here are some publisher picks that we know people will be talking about. Each day we will spotlight a different title and offer a contest to win one of three copies of the book. Check the site each day to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special daily newsletter to announce each day's title, which you can sign up for here.

Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, August 8th at noon ET.

-Click here to see this year's featured titles.
-Click here to receive our special newsletter announcing each day’s prize book.

Bookreporter.com Bets On...
THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE by Helen Schulman (Fiction)
THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE by Helen Schulman is a haunting novel about what happens to a family when a 15-year-old boy gets an inappropriate video from a young girl he knows --- and forwards it on. This seemingly small action snowballs, and suddenly two kids are fodder for the tabloids in a story that will not go away. In the world as we know it now, stories go viral, the Internet has its own fingerprints, and visual memories are a mere click away.

The Bergamots live in Manhattan enjoying a family life they’ve created and filled with all the trappings of success --- a corporate job for dad, a lovely apartment, a Riverdale private school. The perfect life. A beautiful life. Until a single action unravels their world and puts it all at risk. Suddenly dad is asked to take a leave from his new job at a prestigious university, Jake ends up expelled from school, adopted daughter Coco wonders what’s going on, and Liz struggles to hold her fractured family together. And we see this family for what they really are --- folks trying very hard to make and keep a beautiful life that’s fracturing pretty quickly.

Schulman’s writing is so real and her prose is so tight that this is both a quick read and a lasting one. When I finished, I felt like I knew Liz, maybe because we all know women like her who are working hard each day to make a beautiful life. By the way, be sure to read to the end as the wrap in the epilogue alone is worth a discussion.

-Click here to read a review.

Author Spotlight/One-to-Watch
THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS by Vanessa Diffenbaugh (Fiction)
The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it's been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now 18 and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them.

We have 20 copies of THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS, which will be in stores August 23rd, to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, August 12th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to see the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s bio.

COMING UP FOR AIR by Patti Callahan Henry (Fiction) Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband --- between her reality and the woman she wants to be --- she doesn’t quite seem to fit into her own life. But everything changes after her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away. Ellie’s world turns upside down when she sees her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, at her mother’s funeral and learns that he is in charge of a documentary that involved Lillian before her death. He wants answers to questions that Ellie is not sure she can face, until, in the painful midst of going through her mother’s things, she discovers a hidden diary --- and a window onto stories buried long ago.

-Click here to read a second excerpt.
-Click here to read Patti Callahan Henry’s bio.
-Visit Patti Callahan Henry’s official website,www.PattiCallahanHenry.com.

Paperback Spotlight
THE HANGMAN'S DAUGHTER by Oliver Potzsch (Historical Fiction)
Magdalena, the clever and headstrong daughter of Bavarian hangman Jakob Kuisl, lives with her father outside the village walls and is destined to be married off to another hangman's son --- except that the town physician's son is hopelessly in love with her. And her father's wisdom and empathy are as unusual as his despised profession. It is 1659, the Thirty Years' War has finally ended, and there hasn't been a witchcraft mania in decades. But now, a drowning and gruesomely injured boy, tattooed with the mark of a witch, is pulled from a river and the villagers suspect the local midwife, Martha Stechlin.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to see the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Oliver Potzsch’s bio.

LEFT NEGLECTED by Lisa Genova (Fiction)
Sarah Nickerson, like any other working mom, is busy trying to have it all. One morning while racing to work and distracted by her cell phone, she looks away from the road for one second too long. In that blink of an eye, all the rapidly moving parts of her over-scheduled life come to a screeching halt. After a brain injury steals her awareness of everything on her left side, Sarah must retrain her mind to perceive the world as a whole. In so doing, she also learns how to pay attention to the people and parts of her life that matter most.

-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read more in our Bookreporter.com Bets On feature.
-Click here to read Lisa Genova’s bio.

Click here to read the full newsletter.

Friday, July 29, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Dupcak) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 19:41:00 +0000

The titles below are discussed in the July 29th Bookreporter.com Newsletter Opener, which can be read here :

ALICE I HAVE BEEN by Melanie Benjamin

THE POSTMISTRESS by Sarah Blake

THE SOLDIER’S WIFE by Margaret Leroy

WHEN SHE WOKE by Hillary Jordan

The following are reviews, excerpts, interviews and features that currently appear on the Bookreporter.com homepage:

Reviews and Excerpts
A DANCE WITH DRAGONS: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book Five by George R. R. Martin (Fantasy)
In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance --- beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has thousands of enemies, and many have set out to find her. As they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
-Excerpt

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MRS. TOM THUMB by Melanie Benjamin (Historical Fiction)

She was only two-feet eight-inches tall, but her legend reaches out to us more than a century later. As a child, Mercy Lavinia “Vinnie” Bump was encouraged to live a life hidden from the public. Instead, she reached out to the immortal impresario P. T. Barnum, married the tiny superstar General Tom Thumb in the wedding of the century, and transformed into the world’s most unexpected celebrity. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

-Excerpt

NEXT TO LOVE by Ellen Feldman (Historical Fiction)

Three young women --- Babe, Millie and Grace --- who live in a small town in Massachusetts all send the men they love off to fight in World War II. Not everyone returns, and those who do are profoundly changed, reminding us that the scars of war run deeper than the day that victory is won. This character-rich story begins before the men head out and continues right through the early ’60s.

FULL BLACK by Brad Thor (Thriller)
There are some missions so deadly, so sensitive, that they simply don’t exist. When one such mission goes horribly wrong, a wave of dramatic terrorist attacks is set in motion. Their goal: the complete and total collapse of the United States. Scot Harvath launches an audacious plan to infiltrate the terrorists’ network and prevent one of the biggest threats the United States has ever faced. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

QUINN by Iris Johansen (Psychological Thriller)
As a former Navy SEAL turned cop, Joe Quinn has seen the face of evil. When he first met Eve Duncan, he never expected to fall in love in the midst of her haunting tragedy. As their search takes them deeper and deeper into a web of murder and madness, Joe and Eve must confront their most primal fears…and test their resolve to uncover the bone-chilling truth. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

BORN TO DIE by Lisa Jackson (Romantic Suspense)
Dr. Kacey Lambert enjoys her life as a small town doctor in Grizzly Falls, Montana. But when a number of women who look just like her end up dead, Kacey begins to fear for her life and wonder if she's the next one in line who is born to die at the hands of a vengeful madman. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

SUPERGODS: What Masked Vigilantes, Miraculous Mutants, and a Sun God from Smallville Can Teach Us About Being Human by Grant Morrison(Sociology)
The first superhero comic ever published introduced the world to something both unprecedented and timeless: Superman, a caped god for the modern age. The skies of the imaginary world soon filled with strange mutants, aliens and vigilantes. For Grant Morrison, these heroes are powerful archetypes whose ongoing, decades-spanning story arcs reflect and predict the course of human existence. Through them we tell the story of ourselves. Reviewed by Nathan Wilson.

IT LOOKED DIFFERENT ON THE MODEL: Epic Tales of Impending Shame and Infamy by Laurie Notaro (Humor/Memoir)
Laurie Notaro is just trying to find the right fit --- whether it’s in the blouse that looks charming on the mannequin but leaves her in a literal bind, or in her neighborhood after she’s shamefully exposed at a holiday party. Notaro makes misstep after riotous misstep as she shares tales of marriage and family. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

BETRAYAL OF TRUST: A J. P. Beaumont Novel by J.A. Jance (Mystery)
A video appears to be showing a childish game: a teenage girl smiles for the camera, a blue scarf tied around her neck. All of a sudden things turn murderous, and the girl ends up dead. It’s as bad as a snuff film can get, and what’s worse, the clip has been discovered on a phone that belongs to the grandson of Washington State’s governor. Fortunately, the governor is able to turn to an old friend, J. P. Beaumont, for help. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

DICK FRANCIS’S GAMBLE by Felix Francis (Thriller)
Nicholas "Foxy" Foxton, a former jockey, is out for a day at the Grand National races when his friend and co-worker Herb Kovak is murdered, execution style, right in front of him --- and 60,000 other potential witnesses. As he struggles to come to terms with Kovak's seemingly inexplicable death, Foxton begins to question everything, from how well he knew his friend to how much he understands his employer. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.

THE NIGHTMARE THIEF by Meg Gardiner (Psychological Suspense)
Autumn Reiniger expects something special for her 21st birthday. Her father signs up her and five friends for an “ultimate urban reality” game: a simulated drug deal, manhunt and jailbreak. It’s a high-priced version of cops and robbers, which is convenient for the gang of real kidnappers zeroing in on their target and a mammoth payday. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

SHUT YOUR EYES TIGHT by John Verdon (Thriller)
The facts of what has just occurred are horrible: a blushing bride, newly wed to an eminent psychiatrist and just minutes from hearing her congratulatory toast, is found decapitated. Though investigators believe that a Mexican gardener killed her in a fit of jealous fury, the victim’s mother is having none of it. Reluctantly drawn in, Dave Gurney is quickly buffeted by a series of revelations that transform the bizarrely monstrous into the monstrously bizarre. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

FLASHBACK by Dan Simmons (Science Fiction/Thriller)
It’s the not-too-distant future and the United States is near total collapse. But 87 percent of the population don’t care: they’re addicted to flashback, a drug that allows its users to re-experience the past. Ex-detective Nick Bottom knows about flashback addiction firsthand. But can he resist temptation long enough to solve an old murder without losing his soul in the process? Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE TALK-FUNNY GIRL by Roland Merullo (Fiction)
In one of the poorest parts of rural New Hampshire, teenage girls have been disappearing, snatched from back country roads. For Marjorie Richards, the fear raised by these abductions is the backdrop to what she lives with in her own home. Marjorie is also tormented by classmates, who call her “The Talk-funny girl.” But as the nearby factory town sinks deeper into economic ruin and as her parents fall under the influence of a sadistic cult leader, her options for escape dwindle. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.

Author Talk

Melanie Benjamin

Melanie Benjamin’s debut novel, ALICE I HAVE BEEN, explored the true story of Lewis Carroll’s muse, Alice Liddell. Now, in THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MRS. TOM THUMB, she tackles the real-life pains and pleasures of tiny Lavinia Warren Stratton, aka Mrs. Tom Thumb, who famously starred in P. T. Barnum’s sideshow. In this interview, Benjamin discusses how she weaves fact and fiction, recounts the road that led her to Lavinia (“Vinnie”), and discloses the material she poured through in order to gain an inside look. She also sheds light on the parallels between the classic “freak show” of yesterday and the reality shows of today, while suggesting how Vinnie might feel if she got to see her name on the cover of this book.

Fall Preview Feature and Contest

Fall is almost upon us, which is known as the biggest season of the year for books! The titles that come out in fall often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. Here are some publisher picks that we know people will be talking about. Each day we will spotlight a different title and offer a contest to win one of three copies of the book. Check the site each day to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special daily newsletter to announce each day's title, which you can sign up for here.

Our first prize book will be announced on Monday, August 1st at noon ET.

-Click here to see this year's featured titles.
-Click here to receive our special newsletter announcing each day’s prize book.

Seventh Annual Summer Reading Contest and Feature

Thanks to everyone who participated in our daily Summer Reading contests, and congratulations to all the readers who won! These giveaways were a huge success, and we look forward to doing it all over again next year. Even if you weren’t a winner this time, we encourage you to take a look at our 34 featured titles. Reading any of these wonderful books is a great way to pass the time during these dog days of summer.

-Click here to see this year's featured titles.
-Click here to see our winners.

Bookreporter.com Bets On

NEXT TO LOVE by Ellen Feldman (Historical Fiction)
In NEXT TO LOVE by Ellen Feldman, three young women --- Babe, Millie and Grace --- who live in a small town in Massachusetts all send the men they love off to fight in World War II. Not everyone returns, and those who do are profoundly changed, reminding us that the scars of war run deeper than the day that victory is won. This character-rich story begins before the men head out and continues right through the early ’60s.

Feldman’s writing drew me in from the beginning (once I got all the couples straight), and from there I found myself reading late into the evening and in the early mornings savoring the story, especially the parts set during World War II.

It’s a story of love, loss and rebuilding --- and offers an inside look at what unfolded after those quick wartime marriages. The three female characters are well-drawn, with Babe being the star for me. But the way the stories collide gives the book its richness. No one woman’s story would have been special enough on its own. How they collide and interact gives it power.

Also, I love the title, one that is just perfect on many levels. As you read it, you will see why.

By the way, I heartily recommend pairing it with THE SOLDIER’S WIFE by Margaret Leroy, an earlier Bets On selection, to get very female points of view about World War II.

-Click here to read a review.

Author Spotlight: One to Watch
COMING UP FOR AIR by Patti Callahan Henry (Fiction)
Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband --- between her reality and the woman she wants to be --- she doesn’t quite seem to fit into her own life. But everything changes after her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away. Ellie’s world turns upside down when she sees her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, at her mother’s funeral and learns that he is in charge of a documentary that involved Lillian before her death. He wants answers to questions that Ellie is not sure she can face, until, in the painful midst of going through her mother’s things, she discovers a hidden diary --- and a window onto stories buried long ago.

We have 20 copies of COMING UP FOR AIR, which will be in stores August 16th, to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, August 5th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Patti Callahan Henry’s bio.
-Click here to see Patti Callahan Henry’s backlist.
-Visit www.PattiCallahanHenry.com.

Paperback Spotlight
LEFT NEGLECTED by Lisa Genova (Fiction)
Sarah Nickerson, like any other working mom, is busy trying to have it all. One morning while racing to work and distracted by her cell phone, she looks away from the road for one second too long. In that blink of an eye, all the rapidly moving parts of her over-scheduled life come to a screeching halt. After a brain injury steals her awareness of everything on her left side, Sarah must retrain her mind to perceive the world as a whole. In so doing, she also learns how to pay attention to the people and parts of her life that matter most.

-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read a third excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read more in our Bookreporter.com Bets On feature.
-Click here to read Lisa Genova’s bio.
-Click here to see Lisa Genova’s backlist.
-Visit www.LisaGenova.com.

Click here to read the full newsletter.

Friday, July 22, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Dupcak) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:20:00 +0000

The titles below are discussed in the July 22nd Bookreporter.com Newsletter Opener, which can be read here :

THE AFFAIR by Lee Child

THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern

The following are reviews, excerpts, interviews and features that currently appear on the Bookreporter.com homepage:

Reviews and Excerpts
PORTRAIT OF A SPY by Daniel Silva (Thriller)
Two suicide bombers have claimed victims in two different cities within minutes of one another. Israeli agent Gabriel Allon has spotted a third, but just before he can stop him, he is grabbed and neutralized. Now he has vowed to dismantle the terrorist network responsible, but this job may prove to be his most challenging yet. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
-Excerpt
-Visit www.DanielSilvaBooks.com.

ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE BOURNE DOMINION by Eric Van Lustbader (Thriller)
Jason Bourne is searching for an elusive cadre of terrorists planning to destroy America's most strategic natural resources --- and needs the help of his longtime friend, General Boris Karpov, the newly appointed head of Russia's most feared spy agency. But Karpov has made a deal with the devil. In order to remain the head of FSB-2, he must hunt down and kill Bourne. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
-Visit www.EricVanLustbader.com.

JUSTICE by Karen Robards (Romantic Suspense)
After surviving the suspicious car crash that killed the First Lady, Jessica Ford has recreated her life and her identity. But when it becomes obvious that someone wants to tie up the loose ends connected with the crime, Jessica is on the run again with the one man she's done everything to avoid: sexy Secret Service agent Mark Ryan. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
-Visit www.KarenRobards.com.

BURNT MOUNTAIN by Anne Rivers Siddons (Fiction)
Growing up, the only place tomboy Thayer Wentworth felt at home was her summer camp in the North Carolina Mountains. It was there that she met Nick Abrams, her first love…and first heartbreak. Years later, she marries an Irish professor and they settle down only miles from Camp Edgewood. Thayer must confront dark secrets --- about her mother, first love, and, most devastating of all, her husband. Reviewed by Marge Fletcher.

THE DEVIL COLONY: A Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins (Thriller)
Could the founding of the United States of America be based on a fundamental lie? The shocking truth lies hidden within the ruins of impossibility --- a lost colony of the Americas vanished in time and cursed into oblivion. Sigma Force must unravel the secret of the Devil Colony and save the world from cataclysm. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

DREAMS OF THE DEAD by Perri O'Shaughnessy (Thriller)
Attorney Nina O’Reilly is about to relive a nightmare as her own past comes back to haunt her in DREAMS OF THE DEAD, whereby the notorious killer who was responsible for her husband’s murder may have come back from the dead and is on the loose again. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE END OF EVERYTHING by Megan Abbott (Psychological Thriller)
Lizzie and her best friend, Evie, are 13 years old and inseparable --- until the day Evie disappears. Lizzie is frantic to puzzle out the mystery behind the disappearance and to bring Evie home. Her desperate quest is entwined with her own coming-of-age story, in an intense and gripping tale of obsession, friendship and family. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
ONCE UPON A RIVER by Bonnie Jo Campbell (Fiction)
Margo Crane is just 14 years old when her world begins to unravel, starting with the death of her beloved grandfather. When the unimaginable happens, 16-year-old Margo takes a rifle and hits the Stark River in her rowboat. In search of her mother, she discovers much more, in this enthralling page-turner. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

EYES WIDE OPEN by Andrew Gross (Thriller)
Jay Erlich's nephew has been found at the bottom of a cliff at Morrow Bay. It's all just a tragic suicide --- until secrets from the past begin to rear up again. Did a notorious killer, jailed for many decades, have his hand in this? With eyes wide open, Jay puts his life at risk to uncover the truth. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE GAP YEAR by Sarah Bird (Fiction)
Cam's daughter, Aubrey, has been the center of her life since her husband left to join a cult when Aubrey was a toddler. Aubrey's senior year brought wrenching changes, though. As Cam suffers the resulting disconnection with her daughter, Aubrey also narrates her perspective of the year that changed everything. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
-Reading group guide

THE THIRD WAVE: A Volunteer Story by Alison Thompson (Memoir)
Australian filmmaker Alison Thompson's gripping story of volunteering at the front lines of disasters --- Ground Zero during and after 9/11, Sri Lanka's devastating tsunami of 2004, and Haiti after the 2010 earthquake --- makes for riveting reading. Reviewed by Carole Turner

AMONG THE MISSING by Morag Joss (Mystery)
Three lives collide in the wake of an unforeseeable tragedy. When a bridge collapses in the Highlands of Scotland, dozens of commuters vanish into the freezing river below, swept by the currents toward the sea. Only an amateur video and the bridge’s security camera record their last moments. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

KILLER MOVE by Michael Marshall (Thriller)
Bill Moore already has a lot, but he wants more. Much more. One morning, he arrives at work to find a card waiting for him, with no indication who it's from or why it was sent. Its message is just one word: modified. From that moment on, Bill's life begins to change. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE GREATEST GAME EVER PITCHED: Juan Marichal, Warren Spahn, and the Pitching Duel of the Century by Jim Kaplan (Sports)
Taking the mound at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park one summer night in 1963 were 42-year-old Warren Spahn and 25-year-old Juan Marichal. As one scoreless inning followed another en route to a 16th-inning climax, fans began to sense they were watching a pitching duel for the ages. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.

Author Talk

James Rollins

The heroes and villains in James Rollins’s thrillers frequently embark on adventures across the globe. His Sigma Force novels, especially, reveal global secrets about society, history, science and medicine, while offering readers the ride of their lives. The latest installment in the series, THE DEVIL COLONY, dares to answer a frightening question at the heart of America: Could the founding of the United States be based on a fundamental lie? In this interview, Rollins explains the roots of this high-concept story, including his immense research and preparation. He also discusses Mormons, Thomas Jefferson, nanoparticles, and Operation Thriller --- a life-altering experience he will always cherish.

Seventh Annual Summer Reading Contest and Feature

Summer is upon us! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Features. We will be spotlighting a different title or two on select days from Tuesday, May 31st through Wednesday, July 27th, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book(s) and enter. Some days may even feature special bonus prizes, including beach items, a beach tote stocked with goodies, and additional books. We also will be sending a special daily newsletter to announce the day's title(s), which you can sign up for here.

Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, July 25th at noon ET.

-Click here to see this year's featured titles.
-Click here to receive our special newsletter announcing each day’s prize book.

Paperback Spotlight

LEFT NEGLECTED by Lisa Genova (Fiction)
Sarah Nickerson, like any other working mom, is busy trying to have it all. One morning while racing to work and distracted by her cell phone, she looks away from the road for one second too long. In that blink of an eye, all the rapidly moving parts of her over-scheduled life come to a screeching halt. After a brain injury steals her awareness of everything on her left side, Sarah must retrain her mind to perceive the world as a whole. In so doing, she also learns how to pay attention to the people and parts of her life that matter most.

-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read a second excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read more in our Bookreporter.com Bets On feature.
-Click here to read Lisa Genova’s bio.
-Click here to see Lisa Genova’s backlist.
-Visit www.LisaGenova.com.

Young Adult Books You Won't Want To Miss

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 HIDDEN CORONET: Relic Master, Book Three by Catherine Fisher (Fantasy)
Anara is in trouble; its climate has become unstable, and its seven moons are slowly falling out of orbit. A golden coronet is rumored to be the only thing that can stop the destruction that's occurring in Anara. But the coronet is the stuff of legends, lost for centuries. Raffi and Galen must find it before the Watch does, if it exists at all. Reviewed by Sarah A. Wood.

WELCOME TO BORDERTOWN edited by Holly Black and Ellen Kushner (Urban Fantasy)
Bordertown: a city on the border between our human world and the elfin realm. Runaway teens come from both sides of the border to find adventure. Elves play in rock bands and race down the street on spell-powered motorbikes. Human kids recreate themselves in the squats and clubs and artists' studios of Soho. In this volume of all-new work, the original writers of theBordertown series are joined by a new generation. Reviewed by Sarah Hannah Gómez.

THE DEAD by Charlie Higson (Horror)
THE DEAD is the second book in Charlie Higson's terrifying and action-packed horror series, in which everyone over the age of 16 has been infected with a disease that turns them into flesh-eating monsters. Set one year before the events that occur in THE ENEMY, it fulfills the promise Higson made in his interview with Teenreads.com last year: "More zombies! More blood! More flesh-eating!" Reviewed by Sarah A. Wood.

IMAGINARY GIRLS by Nova Ren Suma (Mystery)
Chloe's adored older sister, Ruby, retrieves Chloe from Chloe's father's house, where she went to live after discovering a dead girl at the town reservoir. Back in her hometown two years later, Chloe is stunned to see that very same girl --- the one whose dead body once floated in the reservoir --- attending parties, dating boys, and hanging out with Ruby. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

MERCY by Rebecca Lim (Supernatural Mystery/Romance)
Mercy is a fallen angel haunted by her past. With skin "pale like milk," she never gets sunburned or feels cold, no matter whose body she occupies. When she wakes up in the body of 16-year-old Carmen, a talented singer unsure of her gift, Mercy must discover why she's been dispatched to her new host. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.

Click here to read the full newsletter.