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The Trifecta of Greetings:
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Are you ready for the holidays? I am not! Seriously. I have been busy with work projects and with a truly wonderful event for less fortunate children and their families that I participated in last Saturday. It was organized in a stellar manner by a woman who is a true Mrs. Claus in our town. She buys clothes, toys, books and games --- and more --- for a group of children each year. This year, 56(!) children were the recipients of her fabulous celebration. Here’s what I loved: we actually spent time with each family. I read ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, and by the end of the day, when I had read it to 20+ individual families, I actually knew the names of all eight reindeer. I also had mastered all the flaps on Robert Sabuda’s pop-up book that I chose to use to read the story.
After story time, our guests moved on to do a craft. They then met Mrs. Claus and received their gifts before enjoying cookies and milk refreshments. I asked Mrs. Claus if I could help match a book with each child for their gift bag, and that became such a fun project. With every child I met with, I asked them if they read for pleasure. Many faces lit up at this question; others shook their heads. I engaged with those who were readers about their favorite authors. What a treat! Eighteen elves were on hand to help Mrs. Claus with the celebrating.
You can see a photo of me with Mrs. Claus above. I RARELY dress up, but I HAD to wear an elf costume, as without a costume I could not celebrate the day with the kids and their families. You also can see other more experienced elves above, who clearly aced their looks!
Speaking of sharing books with children, I got a nice note from Nancy: “You had asked a while ago if book clubs do anything special at Christmas. We live in a gated community in Bluffton SC, and we have a community book club run by a wonderful and dedicated leader, Alice. Each Christmas, volunteers put up Christmas trees in the clubhouses, fitness center and local businesses with ornaments, tags specifying children’s ages and a “Be an Angel” sign. People pick a tag and then buy a book intended for that particular age, and return the two together to collection boxes. The books are then distributed to children’s charity organizations. We are not a big community, but so far we have well over 200 books and we are still collecting. I love the newsletters and the job you and your crew do. It’s like getting Christmas presents from you all year long. Have a Merry and a Happy.” I love this, and I thank Nancy for sharing the photos that you see above.
'Tis the season...I love reading stories about bookish celebrations.
This also is the time of year when everyone is posting “Best Books of the Year” lists (in fact, you can see a number of them from around the web here).
What's YOUR Best Book of 2017? Once again, we would like you and your book group to help us compile our Best Of list for ReadingGroupGuides.com! Click here to share both your favorite book that you read with your group this year and your favorite book that you read outside your group, and you will be eligible to win a collection of six fabulous book group titles releasing in 2018: AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE by Tayari Jones, EDUCATED: A Memoir by Tara Westover, EVERY NOTE PLAYED by Lisa Genova, THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah, THE IMMORTALISTS by Chloe Benjamin, and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by A. J. Finn. The deadline for your entries is Wednesday, January 31st at noon ET. We plan to share our reader-compiled "Best Of" list with you in early February.
Please note: Your favorite book that you discussed with your group CAN be the same as your favorite book of the year. And they don't have to have been published in 2017.
Next month, we also will share our list of the “Most Requested Guides of 2017.” We wanted to wait until January to share this as there still are 11 more days in 2017; let’s not rush things!
This month’s update features two debut novels you'll want to discuss with your group. First up is THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS by Ruth Hogan, which is now available in paperback. Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. A brokenhearted Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects --- the things others have dropped, misplaced or accidentally left behind --- and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life's mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost. Click here to read more about the book.
Also new in paperback is OUR HEARTS WILL BURN US DOWN by Anne Valente. As members of the yearbook committee, Nick, Zola, Matt and Christina are eager to capture all the memorable moments of their junior year at Lewis and Clark High School. But how do you document a horrific tragedy --- a deadly school shooting by a classmate? Struggling to comprehend this cataclysmic event, these four survivors vow to honor the memories of those lost and the memories forgotten in the shadow of violence. But the shooting is only the first inexplicable trauma to rock their small suburban St. Louis town. A series of mysterious house fires have hit the families of the victims one by one, pushing the grieving town to the edge. You can read more about the book here.
Although discussion questions aren’t available for either of these titles, may we suggest you visit this page? Here, we let you know what to do when no discussion guide is available for a book. For both THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS and OUR HEARTS WILL BURN US DOWN, you can check out our list of fiction discussion questions, along with more tips and pointers for having a great discussion with your group.
Have you told us what your book group is reading this month? We continue with our two-month-long “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest where the prize is Dinitia Smith’s novel, THE HONEYMOON, which is now available in paperback. Three groups will win 12 copies of the book, which tells the story of the late-life marriage of the 19th-century novelist George Eliot to a handsome young man 20 years her junior --- and its near-tragic consequences. Be sure to enter by filling out the form on this page by Tuesday, January 9th at noon ET.
Please keep in mind that Dinitia would love to schedule time to chat with book groups about THE HONEYMOON. If you and your fellow group members are interested in talking to Dinitia, all you have to do is click here to fill out a request form and she will get back to you as soon as she can!
Our poll continues to ask if your book group does anything special for the holidays. Click here to let us know.
Sarah Jessica Parker has picked STAY WITH ME by Ayobami Adebayo, a Bookreporter.com Bets On title, as her latest ALA Book Club Central Pick. According to Parker, “STAY WITH ME is a wise and deeply humane debut novel that unpeels the layers of politics in a marriage from the inside. Ayobami Adebayo tells the story of Akin, Yejide, and their families --- a powerfully affecting tale of love, loyalty, and betrayal --- with both savagery and heart. I can’t wait for readers everywhere to read and enjoy this novel as our third selection for Book Club Central.” We have a discussion guide for the book, which you can check out here, and our review on Bookreporter.com is here.
STAY WITH ME is one of the 40(!) books we’re awarding to the Grand Prize winner of Bookreporter.com’s End-of-the-Year contest, featuring all of my Bets On picks from this year. Eight other winners will receive a selection of five of these titles. Be sure to enter here by Monday, January 8th at noon ET. I had such fun making these selections and already am working on my Bets On list for 2018. Stay tuned for our next newsletter where my first title of the year will be announced.
It's been such a pleasure sharing book recommendations and features with you and your group all year. Thank you for being a part of ReadingGroupGuides.com. We love having you as our readers. May we ask you to share our newsletter with others who are readers?
Happy New Year…and I hope you get some time over the holidays to kick it back a notch and enjoy a favorite book. See you next year!
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, including shopping for gifts, if you use the store links below, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Share Your Favorite Books of 2017
and Enter to Win SIX Great Book Group Titles
Coming Out in 2018!
This is the time of year when everyone is posting “Best Books of the Year” lists. We would like you and your book group to help us compile ours! Click here to share both your favorite book that you read with your group this year and your favorite book that you read outside your group by Wednesday, January 31st at noon ET. You then will be eligible to win SIX great book group titles releasing in 2018.
Please note: Your favorite book that you discussed with your group CAN be the same as your favorite book of the year. And they don't need to have been published in 2017. Also, please be careful with the spelling of book titles and authors’ first and last names to save us editing time.
We will have our reader-compiled "Best Of" list to share with you in early February. We cannot wait to see what you select!
Click here to share your favorite books of 2017 and enter the contest.
Now Available in Paperback:
THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS by Ruth Hogan
THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS by Ruth Hogan (Fiction)
Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects --- the things others have dropped, misplaced or accidentally left behind --- and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life's mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.
Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony's lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor's quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony's last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.
Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious --- a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.
As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice's redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?
While no guide is available for THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS, be sure to check out our fiction discussion questions, which may help you in your group's discussion of the book.
Click here to read more about the book.
Now Available in Paperback:
OUR HEARTS WILL BURN US DOWN by Anne Valente
OUR HEARTS WILL BURN US DOWN by Anne Valente (Fiction)
As members of the yearbook committee, Nick, Zola, Matt and Christina are eager to capture all the memorable moments of their junior year at Lewis and Clark High School --- the plays and football games, dances and fund-drives, teachers and classes that are the epicenter of their teenage lives. But how do you document a horrific tragedy --- a deadly school shooting by a classmate?
Struggling to comprehend this cataclysmic event --- and propelled by a sense of responsibility to the town, their parents and their school --- these four "lucky" survivors vow to honor the memories of those lost, and also, the memories forgotten in the shadow of violence. But the shooting is only the first inexplicable trauma to rock their small suburban St. Louis town. A series of mysterious house fires have hit the families of the victims one by one, pushing the grieving town to the edge.
Nick, the son of the lead detective investigating the events, plunges into the case on his own, scouring the Internet to uncover what could cause a fire with no evident starting point. As their friend pulls farther away, Matt and Christina battle to save damaged relationships, while Zola fights to keep herself together.
While no guide is available for OUR HEARTS WILL BURN US DOWN, be sure to check out our fiction discussion questions, which may help you in your group's discussion of the book.
Click here to read more about the book.
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Enter to Win 12 Copies of
THE HONEYMOON by Dinitia Smith for Your Group
Each month, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Note: To be eligible to win, let us know the title of the book that YOUR book group is CURRENTLY reading, NOT the title we are giving away.
This month's prize book is the paperback edition of THE HONEYMOON by Dinitia Smith, a captivating account of George Eliot’s passions and tribulations that explores the nature of love in its many guises. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Tuesday, January 9th at noon ET.
THE HONEYMOON by Dinitia Smith (Historical Fiction)
Dinitia Smith’s spellbinding novel recounts George Eliot’s honeymoon in Venice in June 1880 following her marriage to a handsome young man 20 years her junior. When she agreed to marry John Walter Cross, Eliot was recovering from the death of George Henry Lewes, her beloved companion of 26 years. Eliot was bereft: left at the age of 60 to contemplate profound questions about her physical decline, her fading appeal and the prospect of loneliness.
In her youth, Mary Ann Evans --- who would later be known as George Eliot --- was a country girl, considered too plain to marry, so she educated herself in order to secure a livelihood. In an era when female novelists were objects of wonder, she became the most famous writer of her day --- with a male nom de plume. THE HONEYMOON explores different kinds of love, and of the possibilities of redemption and happiness even in an imperfect union. Smith integrates historical truth with her own rich rendition of Eliot’s inner voice, crafting a page-turner that is as intelligent as it is gripping.
If you and your book group would like to talk to Dinitia Smith about THE HONEYMOON, please fill out the form on this page to schedule a chat.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to enter the contest.
Special Bookreporter.com Contest:
Enter to Win Our End-of-the-Year Celebration,
Featuring All 40 "Bets On" Titles from 2017
We are thrilled to announce a very special contest featuring Carol Fitzgerald’s Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2017. One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 40 books, while eight other winners will receive a selection of five of these titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, January 8th at noon ET.
Here are this year's Bookreporter.com Bets On titles:
Click here to enter the contest.
Sarah Jessica Parker's Latest Book Club Central Pick: STAY WITH ME by Ayobami Adebayo
STAY WITH ME by Ayobami Adebayo (Fiction)
This celebrated, unforgettable first novel, shortlisted for the prestigious Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction and set in Nigeria, gives voice to both husband and wife as they tell the story of their marriage --- and the forces that threaten to tear it apart.
Yejide and Akin have been married since they met and fell in love at university. Though many expected Akin to take several wives, he and Yejide have always agreed: polygamy is not for them. But four years into their marriage --- after consulting fertility doctors and healers, trying strange teas and unlikely cures --- Yejide is still not pregnant. She assumes she still has time --- until her family arrives on her doorstep with a young woman they introduce as Akin’s second wife. Furious, shocked and livid with jealousy, Yejide knows the only way to save her marriage is to get pregnant. Which, finally, she does --- but at a cost far greater than she could have dared to imagine.
An electrifying novel of enormous emotional power, STAY WITH ME asks how much we can sacrifice for the sake of family.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol Fitzgerald's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
Click here to see why Sarah Jessica Parker chose STAY WITH ME
as her next Book Club Central pick.
December’s Reading Roundup: Top Picks from
Indie Next, LibraryReads, Target and Costco
Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads, as well as the Target Book Club title and Pennie's Pick for Costco.
This month's Indie Next titles include ELMET, a gripping debut from Fiona Mozley about life on the margins and the power --- and limits --- of family loyalty; A HUNDRED SMALL LESSONS, Ashley Hay’s novel of two families, interconnected through the house that bears witness to their lives; and THE ICE HOUSE by Laura Lee Smith, which follows the beleaguered MacKinnons as they weather the possible loss of the family business, a serious medical diagnosis, and the slings and arrows of familial discord.
Library Reads is spotlighting their top books of 2017, which include LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng, which traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives; BEARTOWN, Fredrik Backman's novel about a small town with a big dream --- and the price required to make it come true; and ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman, the story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine who realizes that the only way to survive is to open your heart.
Click here for the complete roundup.
December Releases of Interest to Book Groups
ENCHANTRESS OF NUMBERS: A Novel of Ada Lovelace by Jennifer Chiaverini (Historical Fiction)
The only legitimate child of Lord Byron, the most brilliant, revered and scandalous of the Romantic poets, Ada Byron King was destined for fame long before her birth. When she is introduced into London society as a highly eligible young heiress, she at last discovers the intellectual and social circles she has craved all her life. Little does she realize that her delightful new friendship with inventor Charles Babbage will shape her destiny.
IN THE FALL THEY COME BACK by Robert Bausch (Fiction)
In his two years teaching English at Glenn Acres Preparatory School, Ben Jameson comes to believe this really is his life's work, his calling. He wants to change lives. But his desire to "save" his students leads him into complicated territory, as he becomes more and more deeply involved with three students in particular: an abused boy, a mute and damaged girl, and a dangerous 18-year-old who has come back to school for one more chance to graduate.
ONE STATION AWAY by Olaf Olafsson (Fiction)
An overlooked pianist who finally receives fraught success after decades of disappointment. An elusive dancer whose untimely death her fiancé is desperate to untangle. A mysterious patient who is comatose after a violent accident. These are the three women who animate ONE STATION AWAY. Magnus, a New York neurologist, is the thread that binds these women’s stories together.
December's New in Paperback Roundups
on Bookreporter.com
December’s roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles on Bookreporter.com includes ANY DREAM WILL DO by Debbie Macomber, a powerful stand-alone novel about a woman forced to start her life anew, embarking on the most courageous journey of all --- to a place where she learns what love and trust really mean; GINNY MOON, Benjamin Ludwig's debut novel that introduces the lovable, wholly original Ginny Moon, who discovers a new meaning of family on her unconventional journey home; and WHO KILLED PIET BAROL? by Richard Mason, a funny, sexy, irreverent and intensely moving portrait of what unites human beings when their sacred mysteries are blown apart.
Among our nonfiction highlights are A WOMAN LOOKING AT MEN LOOKING AT WOMEN, a compelling collection of essays on art, feminism, neuroscience, psychology and philosophy from prize-winning novelist Siri Hustvedt, the acclaimed author of THE BLAZING WORLD and WHAT I LOVED; THE BLOOD OF EMMETT TILL, Timothy B. Tyson's reexamination of a pivotal event of the civil rights movement --- the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till; and DUST BOWL GIRLS by Lydia Reeder, the true story of a Depression-era championship women’s team that the publisher describes as "THE BOYS IN THE BOAT meets A League of Their Own."
See what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
December 4th, December 11th, December 18th and December 25th.
2017 "Best Of" Lists from Around the Web
Compiled by Bookreporter.com
This is the time of year when “Best Of” lists are everywhere. These annual roundups always seem to spark lively discussions among readers as they reflect on their favorite books of the year. Although we at Bookreporter.com don’t have a “Best Of” list of our own, we’ve compiled a number of them for you here. See which of your top picks appear on these lists and which titles you feel should've been included but weren't. Perhaps you’ll even find some books to add to your reading list as we head into the new year!
Bookreporter.com's Holiday Author Blogs:
Authors Write About Their Favorite Holiday Memories
of Giving or Receiving Books
Enter Our Ongoing Bookreporter.com Contests:
"Word of Mouth" and "Sounding Off on Audio"
Word of Mouth Contest:
Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
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 December 15th to January 5th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of ROBICHEAUX by James Lee Burke and THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by A. J. Finn.
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.
Click here to enter the contest.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest:
Tell Us What You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
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 December 1st to January 2nd at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Jesmyn Ward's SING, UNBURIED, SING, read by Kelvin Harrison Jr., Rutina Wesley and Chris Chalk, and UNCOMMON TYPE: Some Stories written and read by Tom Hanks.
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.
Click here to enter the contest.
The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
THE FORTUNATE ONES by Ellen Umansky (Fiction)
One very special work of art --- a Chaim Soutine painting --- will connect the lives and fates of two different women, generations apart, in this enthralling and transporting debut novel that moves from World War II Vienna to contemporary Los Angeles.
THE IT GIRLS by Karen Harper (Historical Fiction)
From New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper comes a novel based on the lives of two amazing sisters. One sailed the Titanic and started a fashion empire. The other overtook Hollywood and scandalized the world. Together, they were unstoppable.
THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS by Ruth Hogan (Fiction)
THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS is a charming, clever and quietly moving debut novel of endless possibilities and joyful discoveries that explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.
OUR HEARTS WILL BURN US DOWN by Anne Valente (Fiction)
A stunning debut in the vein of STATION ELEVEN and EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU, OUR HEARTS WILL BURN US DOWN is about a yearbook staff who must find a way to commemorate their high school years after a devastating experience, while trying to reconcile with the mysterious events occurring in their town.
THE PARIS SECRET by Karen Swan (Fiction)
In this glittering tale of forgotten treasures and long-held secrets, international bestseller Karen Swan explores one woman’s journey to discovering the truth behind an abandoned apartment and a family whose mysteries may be better left undiscovered.
WONDER by R. J. Palacio (Fiction)
This special movie tie-in edition of WONDER features an eight-page full-color insert with photos from the film, a foreword by the director Stephen Chbosky, an afterword by R. J. Palacio, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie with anecdotes from the cast and crew, and a family discussion guide.
Please note that this title, for which we already had the guide when it appeared in hardcover, is now available in paperback:
THE HONEYMOON by Dinitia Smith (Historical Fiction)
Based on the life of George Eliot, famed author of MIDDLEMARCH, this captivating account of Eliot’s passions and tribulations explores the nature of love in its many guises.
This Month's Poll: Celebrating the Holidays
with Your Book Group
Does your book group do anything special for the holidays? Please check all that apply.
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Yes, we have holiday-themed meetings.
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Yes, we read holiday-themed books.
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Yes, we prepare special meals for our meetings.
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Yes, we go to a restaurant.
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Yes, we exchange gifts.
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Yes, we do a charity-related project.
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Yes, we do a cookie exchange.
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Yes, we do a book swap.
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No, we meet as usual.
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No, we take a break from meeting during the holiday months.
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Other (Please specify)
Click here to vote in the poll by Tuesday, January 9th at noon ET.
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