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Carol's latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview is with Allison Pataki, whose new novel,
THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE, is now in stores and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Click on the photo above for the video and here for the podcast.
For a previous "Bookreporter Talks To" segment, Carol asked 13 authors at
Winter Institute and ALA Midwinter to briefly talk about their new books.
Each presentation is short and sweet. Click on the photo above to watch the video.
Here are the organizers and authors of Super Book Weekend, hosted by Adventures by the Book. Fiona Davis joined 19 other authors and over 150 readers aboard the Queen Mary for this inaugural event. Click on the photo above for a blog post that Fiona wrote about this fun and bookish weekend.
One of Carol's book groups discussed THE TESTAMENTS by Margaret Atwood last month. As you can see above, they decided to incorporate a round of "Book Club Jeopardy!" into their discussion.
Carol was traveling at the time and wishes she could have taken part in this.
On Wednesday, February 19th at 3pm ET, members of the Simon & Schuster team will host a
Facebook Live Book Club chat to discuss THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali,
February's pick for S&S's Book Club Favorites program. Marjan will join the discussion as well!
My neighborhood book group met last night, and we discussed AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins. Everyone loved it, and we had a great dialogue about it. They thought it was a page-turner that was well-written and enlightening about the migrant crisis. They would highly recommend it to others.
They all were aware of the backlash that had been going on --- they knew there was controversy. They heard the cries about cultural appropriation, but felt they were unfounded since this is fiction and the storytelling was so good. They all wish they could see Jeanine talk about the book, and are sorry she has been deprived of the opportunity to tour. They want to read more on the subject; in fact, two members said that they thought about the people crossing in a more humanitarian way and believed this was a strong entry into looking at the issue.
They actually felt that Jeanine’s focus gave her an opportunity to tell the story in a unique way. Since she is not a victim or an insider, she was able to offer a 360-degree look at the story told from many perspectives. They also saw how danger was apparent at every turn --- and how the way she told the story enhanced for readers how unsafe the entire world was for these people on their journey; at any moment you did not know who to trust. It was a very good discussion.
As you may remember, 10 book clubs won copies of AMERICAN DIRT with the proviso that they share their feedback by February 28th. We have heard from six of the groups to date, and you can read their comments here. I am thrilled to see their commentary; we love hearing from our readers.
AMERICAN DIRT is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club selection, the #1 Indie Next pick and Oprah's latest book club pick. B&N will be selling a special Exclusive Book Club Edition of the novel, along with hosting a free Book Club Night to discuss it, in stores across the country on Tuesday, March 10th at 7pm local time. Click here to sign up. I am sure these discussions will be lively, spirited and passionate as so many people have such strong opinions of the book and the issues it addresses. If you attend an event, we would love a report.
On March 6th, Oprah will be airing her series about AMERICAN DIRT on Apple TV+. Part of it was being taped today in Tucson.
As I was traveling last month, I missed my other book club’s January meeting, where they talked about Margaret Atwood’s THE TESTAMENTS. I would have loved to have been there for Tara’s "Book Club Jeopardy!" See the photo above. I love when book groups do clever activities like this. If your group has done something out of the ordinary as part of your discussion, shoot me a note at [email protected] with the subject line “Out of the Ordinary Book Group Meeting.” We will compile your responses and share them in a March newsletter.
This month, that group is reading SAVE ME THE PLUMS, a memoir by Ruth Reichl, and we are going to eat food made from the five recipes in the book. I am looking forward to that get-together. For the next meeting of my neighborhood book group, we are reading LONG BRIGHT RIVER by Liz Moore.
Over the last two months, we asked you to tell us your favorite book that you read with your book group in 2019 and your favorite book that you read outside your group. The results are in, and we’re happy to share them with you here! Not surprisingly, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens was the top pick in both categories.
A special congratulations to our contest winner, Susan B. from Carrollton, TX, who won six titles releasing this year that I think would be great for book group discussions: the aforementioned AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins, A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD by Therese Anne Fowler, LADY CLEMENTINE by Marie Benedict, the aforementioned LONG BRIGHT RIVER by Liz Moore, THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire by Allison Pataki, and SAINT X by Alexis Schaitkin. To all those who contributed, thank you for sharing!
We have two new contests to tell you about this month. First up is our giveaway for THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali, a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that is now in paperback. The novel is set in Tehran in 1953 against the backdrop of the political upheaval in Iran. In it, Roya has fallen in love with Bahman, a young boy who loves Rumi's poetry. The small stationery shop is where they meet, and their relationship blossoms. They plan to be married, but an uprising thwarts their plans, and Roya loses track of Bahman in the tumultuous days that follow. Sixty years later, they meet again, and Roya will get a moment to ask the questions that have haunted her for decades.
We are giving three readers the chance to win 12 copies of THE STATIONERY SHOP for their group. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, March 4th at noon ET. In the meantime, check out the discussion guide, our review on Bookreporter and my Bets On commentary (it was one of my favorite books of 2019). Also, I had the pleasure of chatting with Marjan last year for a “Bookreporter Talks To” segment. In case you missed it or would like to revisit it in anticipation of the paperback release, click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
THE STATIONERY SHOP is February’s pick for Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites program. S&S will host a Facebook Live Book Club chat about the book on Wednesday, February 19th at 3pm ET. Marjan will be joining the discussion, so you won't want to miss it! She's on tour, and you can find her tour dates on her website.
Our latest “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest title is DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid, another favorite of mine from last year and a Bets On selection. Newly released in paperback, this work of fiction is about an iconic 1970s band and their oh-so-very hot lead singer, finally telling the tale of why the band broke up. While many books these days are told chapter by chapter by different narrators, here we have the story told paragraph by paragraph from the points of view of the six band members and Daisy. It’s a wickedly smart way to tell a story, and Taylor completely pulls it off. She also includes song lyrics at the end that were created for the book; she could have a second calling as a songwriter. We look forward to hearing them sung in the Amazon series adaptation, which is being made.
Three groups will win 12 copies of DAISY JONES & THE SIX; to enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, March 4th at noon ET. Also, be sure to explore these links: the discussion guide, our Bookreporter review and my Bets On commentary.
In our previous “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest, here are the five books mentioned most frequently as titles that our book groups read: THE GIVER OF STARS by Jojo Moyes, the aforementioned WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens, EDUCATED: A Memoir by Tara Westover, LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng, and THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger. Scroll further down the newsletter to see the Top 15.
We have a number of additional guides to share with you in this newsletter. This month’s featured guide is MERCY HOUSE, Alena Dillon’s debut novel that is now in stores. Inside a century-old row house in Brooklyn, renegade Sister Evelyn and her fellow nuns preside over a safe haven for the abused and abandoned. Little daunts Evelyn, until she receives word that Mercy House will be investigated by Bishop Hawkins, a man with whom she shares a dark history. In order to protect everything they’ve built, the nuns must conceal many of their methods, which are forbidden by the Catholic Church. Evelyn will go to great lengths to defend all that she loves --- confronting a gang member, defying the church, challenging her own beliefs and facing her past. Click here for the discussion guide. We will have our Bookreporter review tomorrow. And click here to see an interview that I did with Alena and Susan Wiggs for a Book Club Girl "Night Out" event back in November.
The aforementioned THE QUEEN’S FORTUNE: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire by Allison Pataki released this week and is an upcoming Bets On pick. I confess that I never thought I would love a book where the protagonist was the one-time lover of Napoleon and went on to become the queen of Sweden. I never hearkened to this particular time period, perhaps due to too many quizzes and tests in high school and college that made history into a series of facts, and not a lot of fun. Well, those attitudes were rapidly changed after reading THE QUEEN’S FORTUNE; I was equally impressed with Allison’s eye for detail as I was with her beautiful prose. She had me completely caught up in the story of Desiree Clary --- and the crazy, wild world that surrounded Napoleon.
I had a wonderful time talking to Allison about THE QUEEN’S FORTUNE recently for a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview. You can watch it here and listen to the podcast here. Also, don’t forget to check out the discussion guide and our review on Bookreporter.
THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE is February’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Jenna Bush Hager had this to say about Abi Daré’s debut novel: “It’s about this young girl, Adunni, whose voice, from the time she is born, is strong, loud and clear, but because of where she is born and the circumstances of her life, she doesn’t yet know how to use it.” Jenna went on to say, “Some of the things we take for granted. She doesn’t get an education, she isn’t allowed to learn. Although it’s the fictional story of one young girl in Nigeria, it really is the story of so many others.” Click here for more of Jenna’s thoughts on the book, along with the author's, and here for the discussion guide. We will have our Bookreporter review on February 21st.
This month’s Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club pick is THE SCENT KEEPER by Erica Bauermeister, which just released in paperback. According to Reese, “[I]t is SO GOOD! This magical story is about a young woman, Emmaline, confronting the modern world for the very first time. As she embarks on a journey of digging up her past, she is confronted with truth about love, family and who she really is.” Click here for the discussion guide.
We also have guides for Isabel Allende’s A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA, which follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home, and WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS by Andrew David MacDonald, a “heart-swelling debut for fans of THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK and THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME” (those are very apt comparisons).
This month’s pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times “Now Read This” book club is AMERICAN PRISON: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment, by Shane Bauer. This inside look at the private prison industry in the United States “draws from Bauer’s own experience working undercover as an entry-level prison guard at Louisiana’s Winn Correctional Center while on assignment as a senior reporter for Mother Jones. His book weaves together his own stories of working with Winn corrections officers and prisoners, along with the history of for-profit incarceration in the U.S.”
During the last weekend of January, Fiona Davis joined 19 of her fellow authors and over 150 readers aboard the Queen Mary for the first ever Super Book Weekend, hosted by Adventures by the Book. She was kind enough to write a blog post for us about the event and shares a number of photos as well. Many thanks to Fiona for such a fun piece! For those of you who may be wondering, her next novel is THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE, which releases on July 28th and revolves around a series of book thefts at the New York Public Library.
We were saddened to hear of Mary Higgins Clark's recent passing at the age of 92. My son, Greg, is a huge fan of her work and pays homage to the "Queen of Suspense" in this lovely tribute that ran on Bookreporter.
I am going to be at the Baldwin Public Library on Long Island on March 5th presenting Spring Reading titles at 7pm. And I am headed to the Tucson Festival of Books on March 14th and 15th where I am moderating five panels. And for those looking ahead to April, I will be back at the Fairfield Public Library on April 28th at 7pm. You can see my entire schedule of events here.
And for those of you who have attended our Book Group Speed Dating session at Book Expo, please note that we are going to be doing that event on Friday, May 29th at 1pm. A formal invite and signup will go out later this month or in early March.
Here’s to a great February book group discussion.
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
New Special Contest: Enter to Win 12 Copies of
THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali,
Now Available in Paperback, for Your Group
We are celebrating the paperback release of THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali --- a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that explores loss, reconciliation and the quirks of fate --- with a special contest that will give three groups the chance to win 12 copies of this poignant, heartfelt novel. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, March 4th at noon ET.
THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali (Fiction)
Roya, a dreamy, idealistic teenager living amid the political upheaval of 1953 Tehran, finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri’s neighborhood stationery shop, stocked with books and pens and bottles of jewel-colored ink.
Then Mr. Fakhri, with a keen instinct for a budding romance, introduces Roya to his other favorite customer --- handsome Bahman, who has a burning passion for justice and a love for Rumi’s poetry --- and she loses her heart at once. Their romance blossoms, and the little stationery shop remains their favorite place in all of Tehran.
A few short months later, on the eve of their marriage, Roya agrees to meet Bahman at the town square when violence erupts --- a result of the coup d’etat that forever changes their country’s future. In the chaos, Bahman never shows. For weeks, Roya tries desperately to contact him, but her efforts are fruitless. With a sorrowful heart, she moves on --- to college in California, to another man, to a life in New England --- until, more than 60 years later, an accident of fate leads her back to Bahman and offers her a chance to ask him the questions that have haunted her for more than half a century: Why did you leave? Where did you go? How is it that you were able to forget me?
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Marjan Kamali.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to enter the contest.
“What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” Contest: Enter to Win 12 Copies of
DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid,
Now Available in Paperback, 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.
Our latest prize book is DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid, a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that is now available in paperback. This gripping novel is about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the mystery behind their infamous breakup. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, March 4th at noon ET.
DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity...until now.
Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late '60s, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s 20, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.
Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.
Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.
The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the '70s. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with DAISY JONES & THE SIX, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
Click here to enter the contest.
New Featured Guide: MERCY HOUSE by Alena Dillon
MERCY HOUSE by Alena Dillon (Fiction)
She would stop at nothing to protect the women under her care.
Inside a century-old row house in Brooklyn, renegade Sister Evelyn and her fellow nuns preside over a safe haven for the abused and abandoned. Gruff and indomitable on the surface, warm and wry underneath, little daunts Evelyn, until she receives word that Mercy House will be investigated by Bishop Hawkins, a man with whom she shares a dark history. In order to protect everything they’ve built, the nuns must conceal many of their methods, which are forbidden by the Catholic Church.
Evelyn will go to great lengths to defend all that she loves. She confronts a gang member, defies the church, challenges her own beliefs and faces her past. She is bolstered by the other nuns and the vibrant, diverse residents of the shelter --- Lucia, Mei-Li, Desiree, Esther and Katrina --- whose differences are outweighed by what unites them: they’ve all been broken by men but are determined to rebuild.
Amidst her fight, Evelyn discovers the extraordinary power of mercy and the grace it grants, not just to those who receive it, but to those strong enough to bestow it.
Click here for the featured guide.
New Guide: THE QUEEN’S FORTUNE by Allison Pataki
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire by Allison Pataki (Historical Fiction)
As the French Revolution ravages the country, Desiree Clary is faced with the life-altering truth that the world she has known and loved is gone, and it’s fallen on her to save her family from the guillotine.
A chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her answer. When her beloved sister Julie marries his brother Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon’s futures become irrevocably linked. Quickly entering into their own passionate, dizzying courtship that leads to a secret engagement, they vow to meet in the capital once his career has been secured. But her newly laid plans with Napoleon turn to sudden heartbreak, thanks to the rising star of Parisian society, Josephine de Beauharnais. Once again, Desiree’s life is turned on its head.
Swept to the glittering halls of the French capital, Desiree is plunged into the inner circle of the new ruling class, becoming further entangled with Napoleon, his family and the new Empress. But her fortunes shift once again when she meets Napoleon's confidant and star general, the indomitable Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. As the two men in Desiree’s life become political rivals and military foes, the question that arises is: Must she choose between the love of her new husband and the love of her nation and its Emperor?
From the lavish estates of the French Riviera to the raucous streets of Paris and Stockholm, Desiree finds herself at the epicenter of the rise and fall of an empire, navigating a constellation of political giants and dangerous, shifting alliances. Emerging from an impressionable girl into a fierce young woman, she discovers that to survive in this world she must learn to rely upon her instincts and her heart.
Allison Pataki’s meticulously researched and brilliantly imagined novel sweeps readers into the unbelievable life of a woman almost lost to history --- a woman who, despite the swells of a stunning life and a tumultuous time, not only adapts and survives but, ultimately, reigns at the helm of a dynasty that outlasts an empire.
THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Don't miss Carol's commentary in the February 21st Bookreporter Weekly Update newsletter.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Allison Pataki.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA by Isabel Allende
A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA by Isabel Allende (Historical Fiction)
In the late 1930s, civil war grips Spain. When General Franco and his Fascists succeed in overthrowing the government, hundreds of thousands are forced to flee in a treacherous journey over the mountains to the French border. Among them is Roser, a pregnant young widow, who finds her life intertwined with that of Victor Dalmau, an army doctor and the brother of her deceased love. In order to survive, the two must unite in a marriage neither of them desires.
Together with 2,000 other refugees, they embark on the SS Winnipeg, a ship chartered by the poet Pablo Neruda, to Chile: “the long petal of sea and wine and snow.” As unlikely partners, they embrace exile as the rest of Europe erupts in world war. Starting over on a new continent, their trials are just beginning, and over the course of their lives, they will face trial after trial. But they also will find joy as they patiently await the day when they will be exiles no more. Through it all, their hope of returning to Spain keeps them going. Destined to witness the battle between freedom and repression as it plays out across the world, Roser and Victor will find that home might have been closer than they thought all along.
A masterful work of historical fiction about hope, exile and belonging, A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA shows Isabel Allende at the height of her powers.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide:
THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE by Abi Daré
Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna"
Today Show Book Club Pick for February
THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE by Abi Daré (Fiction)
Adunni is a 14-year-old Nigerian girl who knows what she wants: an education. This, her mother has told her, is the only way to get a “louding voice” --- the ability to speak for herself and decide her own future. But instead, Adunni's father sells her to be the third wife of a local man who is eager for her to bear him a son and heir.
When Adunni runs away to the city, hoping to make a better life, she finds that the only other option before her is servitude to a wealthy family. As a yielding daughter, a subservient wife and a powerless slave, Adunni is told, by words and deeds, that she is nothing.
But while misfortunes might muffle her voice for a time, they cannot mute it. And when she realizes that she must stand up not only for herself, but for other girls, for the ones who came before her and were lost, and for the next girls, who will inevitably follow; she finds the resolve to speak, however she can --- in a whisper, in song, in broken English --- until she is heard.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: THE SCENT KEEPER by Erica Bauermeister
February’s Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine
Book Club Pick
THE SCENT KEEPER by Erica Bauermeister (Fiction)
Emmeline lives an enchanted childhood on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the natural world through her senses. What he won’t explain are the mysterious scents stored in the drawers that line the walls of their cabin, or the origin of the machine that creates them. As Emmeline grows, however, so too does her curiosity, until one day the unforeseen happens, and Emmeline is vaulted out into the real world --- a place of love, betrayal, ambition and revenge. To understand her past, Emmeline must unlock the clues to her identity, a quest that challenges the limits of her heart and imagination.
Lyrical and immersive, THE SCENT KEEPER explores the provocative beauty of scent, the way it can reveal hidden truths, lead us to the person we seek, and even help us find our way back home.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Our Reader-Selected Best Books of 2019
Over the last two months, we asked you to share both your favorite book that you read with your book group and your favorite book that you read outside your group in 2019. The top 10 results in each category are in! WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by Delia Owens was the top pick in both categories.
A special congratulations to our contest winner, Susan B. from Carrollton, TX, who won six fabulous book group titles releasing this year: AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins, A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD by Therese Anne Fowler, LADY CLEMENTINE by Marie Benedict, LONG BRIGHT RIVER by Liz Moore, THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire by Allison Pataki, and SAINT X by Alexis Schaitkin.
Click here for our reader-selected best books of 2019.
Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for February
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. We also feature a number of other prominent picks, including Oprah’s Book Club, the Barnes & Noble Book Club, the Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club, Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club, the "Good Morning America" Book Club, the PBS NewsHour-New York Times “Now Read This” Book Club, and Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites.
Below is a preview of February's "Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks." For the complete Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, as well as additional links pertaining to this month's selections, please click here.
Indie Next
#1 Pick: AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins
WEATHER by Jenny Offill
AUTHOR IN CHIEF: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote, by Craig Fehrman
A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA by Isabel Allende
WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS by Andrew David MacDonald
LibraryReads
LibraryReads Top Pick: THE AUTHENTICITY PROJECT by Clare Pooley
THE BEAR by Andrew Krivak
THE GIRL IN WHITE GLOVES: A Novel of Grace Kelly by Kerri Maher
GOLDEN IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
MERCY HOUSE by Alena Dillon
Target Book Club
LIGHTS ALL NIGHT LONG by Lydia Fitzpatrick
Pennie's Pick (Costco)
THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson
Barnes & Noble Book Club
AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins
Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club
THE SCENT KEEPER by Erica Bauermeister
Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club
THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE by Abi Daré
PBS NewsHour-New York Times “Now Read This” Book Club
AMERICAN PRISON: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment, by Shane Bauer
Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites
THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali
Our Most Popular Book Group Selections for December/January’s "What's Your Book Group
Reading This Month?" Contest
February’s New in Paperback Roundups
on Bookreporter.com
February's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes TIDELANDS, in which Philippa Gregory turns from the glamour of the royal courts to tell the story of an ordinary woman living in a dangerous time for a woman to be different; NORMAL PEOPLE by Sally Rooney, a work of fiction that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship; LATE IN THE DAY, Tessa Hadley's novel about two close-knit couples whose lives are irrevocably changed by an untimely death; and FEAST YOUR EYES, the first novel in nearly a decade from Myla Goldberg, whose main character is a female photographer grappling with ambition and motherhood --- a balancing act familiar to women of every generation.
Among our nonfiction highlights are SAY NOTHING by Patrick Radden Keefe, a gripping, intricate narrative about a notorious killing in Northern Ireland and its devastating repercussions; PARKLAND, Dave Cullen's intimate, deeply moving account of the extraordinary teenage survivors of the Parkland shooting who became activists and pushed back against the NRA and feckless Congressional leaders --- inspiring millions of Americans to join their grassroots #neveragain movement; and DANNEMORA, in which former corrections officer Charles A. Gardner tells from an insider’s point of view what transpired in June 2015, when two convicted murderers broke out of the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, launching the most extensive manhunt in state history.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
February 3rd, February 10th, February 17th and February 24th.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
In late August, we launched “Bookreporter Talks To,” a video and podcast series where we deliver a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, I have moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal --- to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
By the way, this follows a long history of The Book Report Network delivering compelling programming to readers. Back in 1997, the company hosted the first online interview with John Grisham, which started a tradition of ongoing interviews with authors.
Authors interviewed to date include:
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Linwood Barclay (ELEVATOR PITCH) Video | Podcast
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Patti Callahan (BECOMING MRS. LEWIS) Video | Podcast
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Fiona Davis (THE CHELSEA GIRLS) Video | Podcast
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Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille (THE DESERTER) Video | Podcast
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Sally Hepworth (THE MOTHER-IN-LAW) Video | Podcast
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Marjan Kamali (THE STATIONERY SHOP) Video | Podcast
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Mary Beth Keane (ASK AGAIN, YES) Video | Podcast
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Raymond Khoury (EMPIRE OF LIES) Video | Podcast
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Jesse Kornbluth (JFK AND MARY MEYER: A Love Story) Video | Podcast
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William Kent Krueger (THIS TENDER LAND) Video | Podcast
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Jean Kwok (SEARCHING FOR SYLVIE LEE) Video | Podcast
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Shari Lapena (SOMEONE WE KNOW) Video | Podcast
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Gilly Macmillan (THE NANNY) Video | Podcast
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Liz Moore (LONG BRIGHT RIVER) Video | Podcast
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Heather Morris (THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ; CILKA'S JOURNEY) Video | Podcast
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Allison Pataki (THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire) Video | Podcast NEW!
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Whitney Scharer (THE AGE OF LIGHT) Video | Podcast
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Cara Wall (THE DEARLY BELOVED) Video | Podcast
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Sheila Weller (CARRIE FISHER: A Life on the Edge) Video | Podcast
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Karen White (THE CHRISTMAS SPIRITS ON TRADD STREET; ALL THE WAYS WE SAID GOODBYE) Video | Podcast
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Beatriz Williams (THE GOLDEN HOUR; THE WICKED REDHEAD; ALL THE WAYS WE SAID GOODBYE) Video | Podcast
Upcoming interviews include:
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Marie Benedict (LADY CLEMENTINE)
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Therese Anne Fowler (A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD)
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Luanne Rice (LAST DAY)
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Alexis Schaitkin (SAINT X)
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Amanda Eyre Ward (THE JETSETTERS)
Watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews and listen to our podcasts.
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 February 7th to February 21st at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE by Abi Daré and THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire by Allison Pataki.
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.
Please note: A new Word of Mouth contest will be up
on Friday, February 21st at noon ET.
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 February 3rd to March 2nd at noon ET, one lucky reader will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of J. D. Robb's GOLDEN IN DEATH, read by Susan Ericksen, and Steve Berry's THE WARSAW PROTOCOL, read by Scott Brick.
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.
We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins (Fiction)
Already being hailed as "a GRAPES OF WRATH for our times" and "a new American classic," Jeanine Cummins' AMERICAN DIRT is a rare exploration into the inner hearts of people willing to sacrifice everything for a glimmer of hope.
THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE by Abi Daré (Fiction)
This powerful, emotional debut novel is told in the unforgettable voice of a young Nigerian woman who is trapped in a life of servitude but determined to get an education so that she can escape and choose her own future.
INHERITANCE: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro (Memoir)
From the acclaimed memoirist, novelist and host of the hit podcast "Family Secrets" comes a memoir about the staggering family secret uncovered by a genealogy test: an exploration of the urgent ethical questions surrounding fertility treatments and DNA testing, and a profound inquiry of paternity, identity and love.
A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA by Isabel Allende (Historical Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS, this epic novel spanning decades and crossing continents follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home.
MERCY HOUSE by Alena Dillon (Fiction)
Inside a century-old row house in Brooklyn, renegade Sister Evelyn and her fellow nuns preside over a safe haven for the abused and abandoned. Little daunts Evelyn, until she receives word that Mercy House will be investigated by Bishop Hawkins, a man with whom she shares a dark history.
THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire by Allison Pataki (Historical Fiction)
THE QUEEN'S FORTUNE is a sweeping novel about the extraordinary woman who captured Napoleon’s heart, created a dynasty and changed the course of history.
THE SCENT KEEPER by Erica Bauermeister (Fiction)
Erica Bauermeister, the national bestselling author of THE SCHOOL OF ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS, presents a moving and evocative coming-of-age novel about childhood stories, families lost and found, and how a fragrance conjures memories capable of shaping the course of our lives.
WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS by Andrew David MacDonald (Fiction)
WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS is an uplifting debut about an unlikely heroine whose journey will leave you wanting to embark on a quest of your own.
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
DAISY JONES & THE SIX is a gripping novel about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the mystery behind their infamous breakup.
LOST CHILDREN ARCHIVE by Valeria Luiselli (Fiction)
In Valeria Luiselli’s fiercely imaginative follow-up to the American Book Award-winning TELL ME HOW IT ENDS, a family's road trip across America collides with an immigration crisis at the southwestern border.
SEPARATE: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and America's Journey from Slavery to Segregation by Steve Luxenberg (History)
Award-winning author Steve Luxenberg draws from letters, diaries and archival collections to tell the story of Plessy v. Ferguson through the eyes of the people caught up in the case.
THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali (Fiction)
This poignant, heartfelt novel by the award-nominated author of TOGETHER TEA --- extolled by the Wall Street Journal as a “moving tale of lost love” and by Shelf Awareness as “a powerful, heartbreaking story” --- explores loss, reconciliation and the quirks of fate.
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