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Carol's latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview is with Chris Whitaker, whose new book,
WE BEGIN AT THE END, is this month's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick and is a Bets On selection.
Click on the image above for the video and here for the podcast.
In honor of Women's History Month, Carol moderated a panel featuring Lauren Willig (upper left),
Marie Benedict (lower left), Kristin Harmel (upper right) and Vanessa Riley (lower right)
as they celebrated the launch of Lauren's new novel, BAND OF SISTERS.
Click on the image above to watch the event and here to listen to the podcast.
Don't miss our third “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event on Thursday, March 25th at 8pm ET.
Our guest will be Kim Michele Richardson, author of THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK. Click on the image above to sign up, and read below to see how you can be an on-camera guest!
On Wednesday, April 14th at 2pm ET, we will host our next "Bookaccino Live" afternoon event.
Carol will present a number of books releasing between April 13th and May 4th that she would like to get on your radar, along with a few from June. Click on the image above to sign up.
For this month's “Bookaccino Live” event, Carol presented 22 books releasing
between March 9th and April 6th, as well as 10 publishing in May.
Click on the image above to watch the presentation. You also can see a list of the featured titles here.
On Thursday, March 25th at 2pm ET, members of the Simon & Schuster team will host a
Facebook Live Book Club chat featuring Rebecca Serle, whose novel,
IN FIVE YEARS, is now in paperback and is March's pick for S&S's Book Club Favorites.
Click on the image above to RSVP for the event.
Bookreporter reviewer Norah Piehl is the Executive Director of the Boston Book Festival. She’s running an online fundraiser event for the festival on Thursday, March 18th at 5:30pm ET featuring bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud, who will “prescribe” books based on attendees’ situations or questions.
Click on the image above for more details and to purchase tickets. Be sure to use this link, and you will get 50% off the price of tickets at either the Futon or Recliner level.
As we think back on the past year, I love how many book groups did a quick pivot to Zoom and/or socially distanced meetings once the pandemic hit. If your group is still meeting, celebrate. If your group is not meeting, think about the books you want to talk about when you resume meeting. If you are in the latter category, start sharing lists of what you have been reading and use a sharing software like Google Docs to start planning your next read(s).
I have spoken with authors who tell me that they have been doing more meetings with book groups than ever before. These connections matter, so continue to make them happen. There are authors whose live tours have been canceled; we have had a year of that. And book festivals turning virtual. One thing to consider: If you are meeting with an author, plan to buy their book instead of borrowing it from the library. It’s just one more way to support them. I cannot think of a book launch in the past 12 months that went the way the author planned!
Speaking of a book launch pivot, last Monday, in honor of Women’s History Month, I moderated an amazing panel featuring Lauren Willig, Marie Benedict, Kristin Harmel and Vanessa Riley. We gathered on Zoom to celebrate Lauren's new historical novel, BAND OF SISTERS, which is based on her extensive research into the real history of a group of alumnae from Smith College who went to France during World War I as part of a relief effort. We also played a fun trivia game about women’s history with the audience. For those of you who weren’t able to join us, the event is now available here on our YouTube channel and as a podcast here. We also are featuring the discussion guide for BAND OF SISTERS, along with our review on Bookreporter.com.
Last weekend, I had a wonderful time (virtually) at the Tucson Festival of Books, where I moderated two events. The first featured Lisa See, who talked about her latest bestseller, THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN, and her prolific writing career. I then chatted with Susie Yang and Francesca Serritella about their debut novels, WHITE IVY and GHOSTS OF HARVARD. If you missed these events and would like to check them out, you’re in luck! All of Tucson’s sessions were recorded and are available to view on their website. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to watch these replays. For your convenience, the Crowdcast links for my events are here for Lisa and here for Susie and Francesca. Also, Lisa was the recipient of the Festival’s Founder’s Award, and there was a lovely ceremony honoring her last Friday night. You can see that here.
We are looking forward to our third “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event on Thursday, March 25th at 8pm ET. Our special guest will be Kim Michele Richardson, who you know as the author of THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK, which has been a book club favorite since its release in 2019. Click here to register. Following our discussion, Kim Michele will be answering questions from the audience, including a select few who will join us on camera to ask their question. If you would like to be one of these “on stage” participants, please send me an email with the subject line “Question for Kim Michele.”
Our next "Bookaccino Live" afternoon event will take place on Wednesday, April 14th at 2pm ET. I will present titles releasing between April 13th and May 4th, along with a few from June, that I think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win prizes.
If you missed this week’s event, where I talked about 22 titles coming out from March 9th to April 6th, along with 10 May releases, you can watch it here and see a list of the featured titles here.
Our current “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest title is WHO IS MAUD DIXON?, the much-talked-about debut novel of journalist, editor and copywriter Alexandra Andrews.
Here’s the intriguing plotline: Florence Darrow is a low-level publishing employee who believes that she's destined to be a famous writer. When she stumbles into a job as the assistant to the novelist known as Maud Dixon (whose real name is Helen Wilcox), the arrangement seems perfect. Florence is fascinated by Helen and eagerly accompanies her to Morocco, where Helen’s new novel is set. But their trip is thrown into upheaval when Florence wakes up in the hospital after a terrible car accident, with no memory of the previous night and no sign of Helen. Rather than continue to hide in her shadow, Florence sees this shocking turn of events as the perfect opportunity to take over Helen's life --- not to mention her bestselling pseudonym.
Three groups will win 12 copies of WHO IS MAUD DIXON? To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, April 6th at noon ET. Find out for yourself all the “wicked hairpin turns” of this “stylish and sharp” psychological thriller that Maria Semple raves about in an advance blurb for the book. Click here for the guide and here for our Bookreporter review. It’s so sharp!
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 VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett, THE FOUR WINDS by Kristin Hannah, ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman, the aforementioned THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson, and THE GIVER OF STARS by Jojo Moyes. Scroll further down the newsletter to see the Top 15.
This month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick is WHAT’S MINE AND YOURS by Naima Coster, whose debut novel, HALSEY STREET, was a finalist for the 2018 Kirkus Prize for Fiction. A community in the Piedmont of North Carolina rises in outrage as a county initiative draws students from the largely Black east side of town into predominantly white high schools on the west. For two students, Gee and Noelle, the integration sets off a chain of events that will tie their two families together in unexpected ways for the next 20 years. "As a mother myself, I related to the mothers' fierce love for their children even when they made mistakes," Jenna Bush Hager says. "Nobody understands us like our families, even when imperfect." She goes on to say, "The story is epic in scope. It is about understanding the demons and the hardships that come before us and how they affect our lives." The guide can be found here, and we will share our review in the next newsletter.
One of my favorite books of the year so far is Chris Whitaker’s WE BEGIN AT THE END, which already is in the works to be adapted into a television series. Along with being this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick, it is a #1 Indie Next pick, a LibraryReads selection, and a Bookreporter.com Bets On title. Set in both California and Montana, the plot revolves around 13-year-old Duchess and a fortysomething sheriff named Walk, both of whom have tons of baggage between them. Duchess is rebellious, tough and fiercely protective of her brother, Robin; she calls herself an outlaw. Walk carries the burden of being responsible for his best friend, Vincent King, going to prison for 30 years from the time he was only 15. As Vincent is finally being freed, Walk ponders what is coming to him. Be sure to check out the guide, our review and my Bets On commentary.
Last September, I had the pleasure of doing a short interview with Chris for a trade event, and I immediately knew I wanted to do a longer one when the book released, thus he is my latest “Bookreporter Talks To” guest. He has a long and winding, but oh-so-interesting story about how he came to be published, which he shares with us. I see Duchess, his protagonist, as Scout with a Stetson instead of overalls. The book has a brilliant ending that we do not give away, but it is a stunner. He can tell it really worked by the mail he is getting from people who have finished it. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
On Tuesday, April 6th at 3pm ET, Chris will discuss the book live on B&N’s Facebook page with THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW author A. J. Finn. Last week, Sarah Langan talked to Gillian Flynn about GOOD NEIGHBORS, which was February’s B&N selection. If you missed their conversation, you can watch it here.
Also, be on the lookout next week for an interview with Chris on “Good Morning America’s” website and Instagram page as WE BEGIN AT THE END is the latest “GMA” Buzz Pick.
INFINITE COUNTRY by award-winning, internationally acclaimed author Patricia Engel is this month’s pick for Reese’s Book Club. Talia is being held at a correctional facility for adolescent girls in the forested mountains of Colombia after committing an impulsive act of violence that may or may not have been warranted. She urgently needs to get out and return to Bogotá, where her father and a plane ticket to the United States are waiting for her. If she misses her flight, she also might miss her chance to finally be reunited with her loved ones in the north. How her family came to occupy two different countries and two different worlds comes into focus like twists of a kaleidoscope. Reese says, “I was so drawn to these characters and their unique journeys as they navigate their dreams. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.” You can find the guide here and our review here.
March’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick is KLARA AND THE SUN, the first novel by Kazuo Ishiguro since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature four years ago. Here’s how Ishiguro describes his latest book: “Klara is a little artificial intelligence robot girl created to prevent teenagers from becoming lonely. This is a story of how she tries to save the family of humans she lives with from heartbreak. And how she tries to enlist the sun --- the sun up there in the sky --- to help her. I hope you find this uplifting and that it touches you.” Click here for the guide and here for our review.
THE WINDSOR KNOT by SJ Bennett is the opening installment in a unique crime series that finds Queen Elizabeth II secretly solving crimes while carrying out her royal duties. How did this “side job” come about? Well, it all started in the spring of 2016. While preparations are underway for Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday celebration, a guest is found dead in one of the Castle bedrooms. It appears to be a suicide, but MI5 strongly suspects that foul play was involved. When their suspicions point them in the wrong direction, an unhappy and impatient Queen decides it would be in everybody’s best interest to discreetly take matters into her own hands. Bookreporter reviewer Ray Palen wrote the guide for this book, which you can take a look at here, along with his review.
IN FIVE YEARS by Rebecca Serle, a Bets On selection that is now available in paperback, is this month’s pick for Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites. Rebecca will join members of the S&S team for a Facebook Live Book Club chat about the book on Thursday, March 25th at 2pm ET. Click here to RSVP for the event. By the way, Rebecca has the distinction of being our last in-office interview. She was there as our “Bookreporter Talks To” guest on Tuesday, March 10th before we closed the office the next day.
For more March selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
Special Offer for Our Readers! Norah Piehl, one of our longtime Bookreporter reviewers, is also the Executive Director of the Boston Book Festival. She’s running an online fundraiser event for the festival on Thursday, March 18th at 5:30pm ET. Back by popular demand following her successful appearance last year (which was the festival’s first virtual event), trusted bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud --- the co-author of THE NOVEL CURE and the author of THE ART OF MINDFUL READING --- will be on Zoom to “prescribe” books based on attendees’ situations or questions. If you use this link to register, you will get 50% off the price of tickets at either the Futon or Recliner level. Of course, also feel free to pass along the link to anyone who you think might be interested in attending. Many thanks to Norah for sharing this event with us and for her very generous offer!
Enjoy your discussion! We will be back with our next newsletter the week of March 22nd.
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!
“What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” Contest: Enter to Win 12 Copies of WHO IS MAUD DIXON?
by Alexandra Andrews 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 WHO IS MAUD DIXON? by Alexandra Andrews, a taut, twisty and character-driven psychological thriller about a famous novelist and a small-town striver locked in a struggle for fortune and fame. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, April 7th at noon ET.
WHO IS MAUD DIXON? by Alexandra Andrews (Psychological Thriller)
Florence Darrow is a low-level publishing employee who believes that she's destined to be a famous writer. When she stumbles into a job as the assistant to the brilliant, enigmatic novelist known as Maud Dixon --- whose true identity is a secret --- it appears that the universe is finally providing Florence’s big chance.
The arrangement seems perfect. Maud Dixon (whose real name, Florence discovers, is Helen Wilcox) can be prickly, but she is full of pointed wisdom --- not only on how to write, but also on how to live. Florence quickly falls under Helen’s spell and eagerly accompanies her to Morocco, where Helen’s new novel is set. Amidst the colorful streets of Marrakesh and the windswept beaches of the coast, Florence’s life at last feels interesting enough to inspire a novel of her own.
But when Florence wakes up in the hospital after a terrible car accident, with no memory of the previous night --- and no sign of Helen --- she’s tempted to take a shortcut. Instead of hiding in Helen’s shadow, why not upgrade into Helen's life? Not to mention her bestselling pseudonym.
Taut, twisty and viciously entertaining, WHO IS MAUD DIXON? is a stylish psychological thriller about how far into the darkness you’re willing to go to claim the life you always wanted.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to enter the contest.
New Featured Guide:
WHAT’S MINE AND YOURS by Naima Coster
March’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club Pick
WHAT'S MINE AND YOURS by Naima Coster (Fiction)
A community in the Piedmont of North Carolina rises in outrage as a county initiative draws students from the largely Black east side of town into predominantly white high schools on the west. For two students, Gee and Noelle, the integration sets off a chain of events that will tie their two families together in unexpected ways over the span of the next 20 years.
On one side of the integration debate is Jade, Gee's steely, ambitious mother. In the aftermath of a harrowing loss, she is determined to give her son the tools he'll need to survive in America as a sensitive, anxious, young Black man. On the other side is Noelle's headstrong mother, Lacey May, a white woman who refuses to see her half-Latina daughters as anything but white. She strives to protect them as she couldn't protect herself from the influence of their charming but unreliable father, Robbie.
When Gee and Noelle join the school play meant to bridge the divide between new and old students, their paths collide, and their two seemingly disconnected families begin to form deeply knotted, messy ties that will shape the trajectory of their adult lives. And their mothers --- each determined to see her child inherit a better life --- will make choices that will haunt them for decades to come.
As love is built and lost, and the past never too far behind, WHAT'S MINE AND YOURS is an expansive, vibrant tapestry that moves between the years, from the foothills of North Carolina, to Atlanta, Los Angeles and Paris. It explores the unique organism that is every family: what breaks them apart and how they come back together.
- Click here to see why the book is March's "Read with Jenna" pick.
Click here for the featured guide.
New Guide: WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker March’s Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick
and a Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker (Mystery/Thriller)
There are two kinds of families: the ones we are born into and the ones we create.
Walk has never left the coastal California town where he grew up. He may have become the chief of police, but he’s still trying to heal the old wound of having given the testimony that sent his best friend, Vincent King, to prison decades before. Now, 30 years later, Vincent is being released.
Duchess is a 13-year-old self-proclaimed outlaw. Her mother, Star, grew up with Walk and Vincent. Walk is in overdrive trying to protect them, but Vincent and Star seem bent on sliding deeper into self-destruction. Star always burned bright, but recently that light has dimmed, leaving Duchess to parent not only her mother but her five-year-old brother. At school the other kids make fun of Duchess --- her clothes are torn, her hair a mess. But let them throw their sticks, because she’ll throw stones. Rules are for other people. She’s just trying to survive and keep her family together.
A fortysomething-year-old sheriff and a 13-year-old girl may not seem to have a lot in common. But they both have come to expect that people will disappoint you, loved ones will leave you, and if you open your heart it will be broken. So when trouble arrives with Vincent King, Walk and Duchess find they will be unable to do anything but usher it in, arms wide closed.
- 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 Chris Whitaker.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here for details on Barnes & Noble's virtual Book Club event on Tuesday, April 6th at 3pm ET.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: INFINITE COUNTRY by Patricia Engel
Reese’s Book Club Pick for March
INFINITE COUNTRY by Patricia Engel (Fiction)
Talia is being held at a correctional facility for adolescent girls in the forested mountains of Colombia after committing an impulsive act of violence that may or may not have been warranted. She urgently needs to get out and get back home to Bogotá, where her father and a plane ticket to the United States are waiting for her. If she misses her flight, she also might miss her chance to finally be reunited with her family in the north.
How this family came to occupy two different countries, two different worlds, comes into focus like twists of a kaleidoscope. We see Talia’s parents, Mauro and Elena, fall in love in a market stall as teenagers against a backdrop of civil war and social unrest. We see them leave Bogotá with their firstborn, Karina, in pursuit of safety and opportunity in the United States on a temporary visa, and we see the births of two more children, Nando and Talia, on American soil. We witness the decisions and indecisions that lead to Mauro’s deportation and the family’s splintering --- the costs they’ve all been living with ever since.
Award-winning, internationally acclaimed author Patricia Engel, herself a dual citizen and the daughter of Colombian immigrants, gives voice to all five family members as they navigate the particulars of their respective circumstances. And all the while, the metronome ticks: Will Talia make it to Bogotá in time? And if she does, can she bring herself to trade the solid facts of her father and life in Colombia for the distant vision of her mother and siblings in America?
Rich with Bogotá urban life, steeped in Andean myth and tense with the daily reality of the undocumented in America, INFINITE COUNTRY is the story of two countries and one mixed-status family --- for whom every triumph is stitched with regret, and every dream pursued bears the weight of a dream deferred.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to visit the Reese's Book Club website.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro
March’s “Good Morning America” Book Club Pick
KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro (Fiction)
KLARA AND THE SUN, the first novel by Kazuo Ishiguro since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, tells the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her.
KLARA AND THE SUN is a thrilling book that offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator, and one that explores the fundamental question: What does it mean to love?
In its award citation in 2017, the Nobel committee described Ishiguro's books as "novels of great emotional force" and said he has "uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world."
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to see why the book is March's "GMA" Book Club pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: BAND OF SISTERS by Lauren Willig
BAND OF SISTERS by Lauren Willig (Historical Fiction)
A scholarship girl from Brooklyn, Kate Moran thought she found a place among Smith’s Mayflower descendants, only to have her illusions dashed the summer after graduation. When charismatic alumna Betsy Rutherford delivers a rousing speech at the Smith College Club in April of 1917, looking for volunteers to help French civilians decimated by the German war machine, Kate is too busy earning her living to even think of taking up the call. But when her former best friend, Emmeline Van Alden, reaches out and begs her to take the place of a girl who had to drop out, Kate reluctantly agrees to join the new Smith College Relief Unit.
Four months later, Kate and 17 other Smithies, including two trailblazing female doctors, set sail for France. The volunteers are armed with money, supplies and good intentions --- all of which immediately go astray. The chateau that was to be their headquarters is a half-burnt ruin. The villagers they meet are in desperate straits: women and children huddling in damp cellars, their crops destroyed and their wells poisoned.
Despite constant shelling from the Germans, French bureaucracy and the threat of being ousted by the British army, the Smith volunteers bring welcome aid --- and hope --- to the region. But can they survive their own differences? As they cope with the hardships and terrors of the war, Kate and her colleagues find themselves navigating old rivalries and new betrayals that threaten the very existence of the Unit.
With the Germans threatening to break through the lines, can the Smith Unit pull together and truly be a band of sisters?
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to watch Carol's Women's History Month event celebrating the book's release.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: THE WINDSOR KNOT by SJ Bennett
THE WINDSOR KNOT by SJ Bennett (Mystery)
It is the early spring of 2016, and Queen Elizabeth is at Windsor Castle in advance of her 90th birthday celebrations. But the preparations are interrupted when a guest is found dead in one of the Castle bedrooms. The scene suggests the young Russian pianist strangled himself, but a badly tied knot leads MI5 to suspect foul play was involved. The Queen leaves the investigation to the professionals --- until their suspicions point them in the wrong direction.
Unhappy at the mishandling of the case and concerned for her staff’s morale, the monarch decides to discreetly take matters into her own hands. With help from her Assistant Private Secretary, Rozie Oshodi, a British Nigerian and recent officer in the Royal Horse Artillery, the Queen secretly begins making inquiries. As she carries out her royal duties with her usual aplomb, no one in the Royal Household, the government or the public knows that the resolute Elizabeth will use her keen eye, quick mind and steady nerve to bring a murderer to justice.
SJ Bennett captures Queen Elizabeth’s voice with skill, nuance, wit and genuine charm in this imaginative and engaging mystery that portrays Her Majesty as she’s rarely seen: kind yet worldly, decisive, shrewd and, most importantly, a great judge of character.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for March
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, Reese's 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 March'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: WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker
KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro
THE LOST APOTHECARY by Sarah Penner
BROOD by Jackie Polzin
THE ROSE CODE by Kate Quinn
LibraryReads
Top Pick: THE LOST APOTHECARY by Sarah Penner
THE CONDUCTORS by Nicole Glover
THE DATING PLAN by Sara Desai
ETERNAL by Lisa Scottoline
EVERY LAST FEAR by Alex Finlay
Target Book Club
VALENTINE by Elizabeth Wetmore
Pennie's Pick for Costco
WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD by Susan Crandall
Barnes & Noble Book Club
WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker
Reese's Book Club
INFINITE COUNTRY by Patricia Engel
Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club
WHAT'S MINE AND YOURS by Naima Coster
"Good Morning America" Book Club
KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro
PBS NewsHour-New York Times “Now Read This” Book Club
NOMADLAND: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, by Jessica Bruder
Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites
IN FIVE YEARS by Rebecca Serle
Our Most Popular Book Group Selections for February’s "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest
March’s New in Paperback Roundups
on Bookreporter.com
March's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles on Bookreporter.com includes THE NIGHT WATCHMAN, a powerful novel based on the extraordinary life of National Book Award-winning author Louise Erdrich’s grandfather, who worked as a night watchman and carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C.; THE BOOK OF LONGINGS by Sue Monk Kidd, an inspiring account of one woman's bold struggle to realize the passion and potential inside her, while living in a time, place and culture devised to silence her; Therese Anne Fowler's A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, which asks big questions about life in America today as it explores the effects of class, race and heartrending love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful; REDHEAD BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD by Anne Tyler, an intimate look into the heart and mind of a man who finds those around him just out of reach; and Amanda Eyre Ward's THE JETSETTERS, a delicious and intelligent novel about the courage it takes to reveal our true selves, the pleasures and perils of family, and how we navigate the seas of adulthood.
Among our nonfiction highlights are BECOMING, the deeply personal memoir by the former First Lady of the United States, featuring a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a five-question Q&A; HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD, Robert Kolker's fascinating account of a mid-century American family with 12 children, six of whom were diagnosed with schizophrenia, that became science's great hope in the quest to understand the disease; I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE’RE STILL HERE, a poignant and moving memoir by Esther Safran Foer, who found out that her father had a previous wife and daughter --- both of whom were killed in the Holocaust --- and resolved to find out who they were, and how her father survived; and RECOLLECTIONS OF MY NONEXISTENCE, Rebecca Solnit's memoir about her formation as a writer and as a feminist in 1980s San Francisco, in an atmosphere of gender violence on the street and throughout society and the exclusion of women from cultural arenas.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
March 1st, March 8th, March 15th, March 22nd and March 29th.
Bookreporter.com’s 10th Annual
Spring Preview Contests and Feature
Spring is in the air (or will be very soon)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases. Our 10th annual Spring Preview Contests and Feature spotlights many of these picks, which we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through April 23rd at noon ET. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE SURVIVORS by Jane Harper
and MASQUE OF HONOR by Sharon Virts
THE SURVIVORS by Jane Harper (Mystery/Thriller)
I love books that bring me to a part of the world that I know little about, especially during the pandemic. That is what Jane Harper has done with THE SURVIVORS. While it is her fourth thriller, it is the first that I have read. Set in Tasmania, the book braids a tragedy from decades ago with a recent one. Kieran Elliott and his wife are back in their hometown for a visit, as his parents are preparing to downsize following his father's diagnosis with Alzheimer's.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Jane Harper.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE SURVIVORS.
MASQUE OF HONOR: A Historical Novel of the American South by Sharon Virts (Historical Fiction)
I have heard a lot of authors talk about what inspired them, but Sharon Virts’ inspiration for her first work of historical fiction, MASQUE OF HONOR, truly fascinated me. She was restoring her home in Leesburg, Virginia, called Selma when she started looking into its history. She came upon the story of a duel between Armistead Mason and John “Jack” Mason McCarty, who were brothers-in-law, second cousins and descendants of founding father George Mason IV.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Sharon Virts.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on MASQUE OF HONOR.
From left to right: Lisa Scottoline, Kazuo Ishiguro, Patti Callahan
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
As so many book and author events are happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.
Tuesdays at 7:30pm ET: "Talking ETERNAL with Lisa Scottoline": Join Lisa Scottoline every Tuesday night at 7:30pm ET on Facebook as she premieres a new episode from her video series, "Behind the Book: Talking ETERNAL," which reveals behind-the-scenes looks at the inspirations of her upcoming historical fiction book, ETERNAL, releasing on March 23rd. And stay tuned because immediately following each video premiere, Lisa hosts a Facebook Live to talk about the video.
Sunday, March 14th at 3pm ET: Politics & Prose Virtual Event: Politics & Prose presents a virtual event with Walter Isaacson, the New York Times bestselling author of STEVE JOBS. Isaacson will be in conversation with Jane Pauley, host of "CBS Sunday Morning," to discuss his new biography of Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna, THE CODE BREAKER.
Sunday, March 14th at 5pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe --- will talk to Sadeqa Johnson about YELLOW WIFE.
Tuesday, March 16th at 7pm ET: Anderson's Bookshop Virtual Event: Join Anderson's Bookshops for a special virtual author event with Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro. He will be in conversation with Washington Post book critic Ron Charles to discuss his new novel, KLARA AND THE SUN, this month's "GMA" Book Club pick.
Tuesday, March 16th at 7pm ET: Belmont Books Virtual Event: Join Belmont Books for a great night of historical fiction, as authors Patti Callahan and Whitney Scharer discuss Patti's latest book, SURVIVING SAVANNAH.
Tuesday, March 16th at 9pm ET: Booksmith Virtual Event: Booksmith and The Bindery are very pleased to host Naima Coster for her novel, WHAT'S MINE AND YOURS, which is this month's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club pick. She will be in conversation with CANTORAS author and Booksmith BFF Carolina DeRobertis.
Wednesday, March 17th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Jennifer Robson (OUR DARKEST NIGHT) and Ariel Lawhon (CODE NAME HÉLÈNE).
Thursday, March 18th at 5:30pm ET: Boston Book Festival Online Fundraiser Event: Bibliotherapist Ella Berthoud has the unique ability to recommend the perfect book for many of life’s most unexpected predicaments. During this lively online event, Ella will “prescribe” books based on attendees’ situations or questions. Ticket discounts are available to Bookreporter and ReadingGroupGuides readers!
Thursday, March 18th at 7pm ET: Brookline Brooksmith Virtual Event: Join the Transnational Literature Series for a virtual event with Viet Thanh Nguyen and Walter Mosley to discuss Nguyen's long-awaited new novel, THE COMMITTED.
Thursday, March 18th at 8pm ET: Blue Willow Bookshop Virtual Event: Patti Callahan will appear in conversation with Lisa Wingate to discuss her new book, SURVIVING SAVANNAH.
Saturday, March 20th at 7pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore Virtual Event: #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline will discuss her first historical novel, ETERNAL.
Tuesday, March 23rd at 7pm ET: Parnassus Books Virtual Event: Parnassus Books is delighted to welcome Lisa Scottoline, author of ETERNAL, for a virtual event to launch her new book. She will be in conversation with fellow New York Times bestselling author Paula McLain.
Wednesday, March 24th at 12pm ET: The Post and Courier Book & Author Luncheon: The Post and Courier's Book & Author is the largest and most prestigious literary luncheon in the Southeast. The 28th annual event will be presented virtually and will feature international bestselling authors Lisa Scottoline and Adriana Trigiani.
Wednesday, March 24th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Nancy Jooyoun Kim about THE LAST STORY OF MINA LEE, a Reese's Book Club pick from last year.
Wednesday, March 24th at 7pm ET: A Likely Story Bookstore Virtual Event: Lisa Scottoline and Pam Jenoff will talk about their new novels, ETERNAL and THE WOMAN WITH THE BLUE STAR.
Thursday, March 25th at 2pm ET: Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites Online Event: Rebecca Serle will join members of the Simon & Schuster team for a Facebook Live Book Club chat about IN FIVE YEARS, which is March's pick for S&S's Book Club Favorites.
Thursday, March 25th at 8pm ET: "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Event: Kim Michele Richardson will talk about her most recent novel, THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK. Click here to register. If you would like to appear on camera and ask Kim Michele a question, please send Carol an email with the subject line “Question for Kim Michele.”
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has 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 is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here is our latest interview:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Gabriela Garcia (OF WOMEN AND SALT)
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Dianna Rostad (YOU BELONG HERE NOW)
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Lisa Scottoline (ETERNAL)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
BAND OF SISTERS by Lauren Willig (Historical Fiction)
A group of young women from Smith College risk their lives in France at the height of World War I in this sweeping novel based on a true story --- a skillful blend of "Call the Midwife" and THE ALICE NETWORK --- from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig.
INFINITE COUNTRY by Patricia Engel (Fiction)
For readers of Valeria Luiselli and Edwidge Danticat, INFINITE COUNTRY is an urgent and lyrical novel about a Colombian family fractured by deportation, offering an intimate perspective on an experience that so many have endured --- and are enduring right now.
THE KITCHEN FRONT by Jennifer Ryan (Historical Fiction)
From the bestselling author of THE CHILBURY LADIES’ CHOIR comes an unforgettable novel of a BBC-sponsored wartime cooking competition and the four women who enter for a chance to better their lives.
KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro (Fiction)
KLARA AND THE SUN, the first novel by Kazuo Ishiguro since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, is a thrilling book that offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator, and one that explores the fundamental question: What does it mean to love?
THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS by Susan Meissner (Historical Fiction)
From the acclaimed author of THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR and AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity.
WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker (Mystery/Thriller)
With WE BEGIN AT THE END, Chris Whitaker has written an extraordinary novel about people who deserve so much more than life serves them. At times devastating, with flashes of humor and hope throughout, it is ultimately an inspiring tale of how the human spirit prevails and how, in the end, love --- in all its different guises --- wins.
WHAT'S MINE AND YOURS by Naima Coster (Fiction)
From the author of HALSEY STREET comes a sweeping novel of legacy, identity, the American family, and the ways that race affects even our most intimate relationships.
WHO IS MAUD DIXON? by Alexandra Andrews (Psychological Thriller)
WHO IS MAUD DIXON? is a taut, twisty and character-driven psychological thriller about a famous novelist and a small-town striver locked in a struggle for fortune and fame.
THE WINDSOR KNOT by SJ Bennett (Mystery)
THE WINDSOR KNOT is the first book in a highly original and delightfully clever crime series in which Queen Elizabeth II secretly solves crimes while carrying out her royal duties.
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
BECOMING by Michelle Obama (Memoir)
This intimate, powerful and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States features a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a five-question Q&A.
A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD by Therese Anne Fowler (Fiction)
A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD asks big questions about life in America today as it explores the effects of class, race and heartrending love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful.
HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker (Science/Biography)
HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD is the heartrending story of a mid-century American family with 12 children, six of them diagnosed with schizophrenia, that became science's great hope in the quest to understand the disease.
IN FIVE YEARS by Rebecca Serle (Fiction)
Perfect for fans of ME BEFORE YOU and ONE DAY, Rebecca Serle's unforgettable novel is a striking, powerful and moving love story following an ambitious lawyer who experiences an astonishing vision that could change her life forever.
VALENTINE by Elizabeth Wetmore (Fiction)
Written with the haunting emotional power of Elizabeth Strout and Barbara Kingsolver, VALENTINE is an astonishing debut novel that explores the lingering effects of a brutal crime on the women of one small Texas oil town in the 1970s.
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