August 27, 2022

August 27, 2022

Plan B

In the last newsletter, I mentioned how laid back our group is, which means I do not have to fuss to entertain them. That's a very good thing!

For last week's meeting, after a very hectic day, I raced to our local garden center just as they were closing and picked up two pies (of course, I think I have six homemade ones in the freezer, but I did not have time to defrost and bake). I found wine glasses, plates and napkins (and in case you were wondering, they all were turquoise), and set a dish of pretzels on the coffee table on the deck. During the day, it had drizzled for a couple of minutes, and I quickly had pulled the chair cushions inside. Now mind you, we have had no rain all summer. Every storm has circled around us. So I brought the cushions back out and was all set for a terrific discussion. Just as we all sat down and began chatting, we started to feel some raindrops. Then more. And then we realized that there was no way we were going to be able to sit there through the storm.

At the shallow end of the pool there is a tent, which Tom and the boys jokingly call my Cleopatra tent, where I sit and read in the shade in a lounge chair. They joke that all I need are cabana boys with fans. We quickly headed there with wine and pies in hand. In the tent beside my lounger, we have a table, five chairs, a loveseat and a coffee table. So we sat down and picked up right where we had left off. It poured for more than an hour, but we never felt a drop. It gave us time to discuss THE TOBACCO WIVES by Adele Myers. One thing we mulled over again and again was how those who knew that cigarettes were harmful continued to promote them. We tossed around why. Was it greed, or ego? We also talked about whistleblowers, and who can have the agency to be one.

Next up, we are reading THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Some of us already have read it; others have been hearing so much about it that they are intrigued. What’s interesting is that this book has seen new life five years after it originally was published after people talked about it on TikTok! I kid you not. It’s a fun book and definitely something on the lighter side. I think we were staying in a beach read vibe when we picked it.

Sarah Addison Allen’s new novel, OTHER BIRDS, will be September’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment on a tiny South Carolina island, she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors --- including a girl on the run, two estranged middle-aged sisters, a lonely chef, a legendary writer and three ghosts. Each with their own story. Each with their own longings. Each whose ending isn’t yet written. Click here for the guide.

On Tuesday, October 4th at 3pm ET, B&N will host a live virtual event with Sarah to talk about the book. She will be joined in the discussion by Shannon DeVito, the Director of Category Management at B&N, and Miwa Messer, B&N’s Editorial Director. You can sign up by clicking here.

A reminder that on Thursday, September 8th at 7pm ET, Anthony Marra will be at Barnes & Noble – Union Square in New York City to discuss his latest novel, MERCURY PICTURES PRESENTS, which is August's B&N Book Club pick. Click here to register if you’d like to attend this in-person book club event. If you’d prefer to join virtually, you can purchase tickets here to the livestream.

We also have added guides for these three books:

• THE LAST WHITE MAN by Mohsin Hamid: Anders wakes up one morning to discover that his skin has turned dark. Across the land, people are awakening in new incarnations, uncertain how their neighbors, friends and family will greet them. As the bond deepens between Anders and his old friend, Oona, change takes on a different shading: a chance at a kind of rebirth.
   
• THE BEST IS YET TO COME by Debbie Macomber: A new beginning in charming Oceanside, Washington, is exactly what Hope Godwin needs after the death of her twin brother. But she still feels that something is missing. That is, until her landlords convince her to volunteer at their animal shelter. There she meets Shadow, a rescue dog that everyone has given up on, though Hope believes he’s worth saving.
   
• WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL by Jillian Medoff: When Billy is arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, his sister Cassie joins forces with big brother Nate and their parents. As reporters converge outside their apartment building, Cassie vows she will do whatever it takes to save Billy. But what if that means exposing her own darkest secrets to the world?

We also continue to feature the guide for A MAP FOR THE MISSING. Set against a rapidly changing post–Cultural Revolution China, Belinda Huijuan Tang’s first novel reckons with the costs of pursuing one’s dreams and the lives we leave behind. Ruth Ozeki calls the book “[a]n engrossing saga of a young mathematician caught between two countries, two cultures, two eras, and two loves. Set against the violent turmoil of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, this powerful debut explores the wrenching impact of political ideologies on individual lives in a way that is resonant and timely.”

Announcing This Year’s Bookreporter Fall Preview Feature
Our Fall Preview feature on Bookreporter is back for a 12th year! On select days between now and early October, we will spotlight a different title and offer a 24-hour contest to win five copies of the book. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each day's title. If you have not done so already, you can sign up here to receive these dedicated newsletters.

We launched the feature this week with FOX CREEK, the 19th installment in William Kent Krueger’s Cork O’Connor series and our current New Release Spotlight title on Bookreporter. Our contest for Alice Feeney’s new locked-room mystery, DAISY DARKER, will be up on Tuesday, August 30th at noon ET. Later in September, we will be giving away ANYWHERE YOU RUN by Wanda M. Morris --- and we plan to add more books to the feature over the next few weeks.

Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest on Bookreporter
FOX CREEK is also one of our Bookreporter Word of Mouth prizes; the other is BULLY MARKET: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs by Jamie Fiore Higgins, which will be a Bets On pick. Let us know by Friday, September 9th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles.

BULLY MARKET is a fascinating, eye-opening book that we will talk about in a big way after its August 30th release. In the first September newsletter, we will feature the discussion guide for it, along with our review and my Bets On commentary. In the meantime, be sure to check out this episode of “The Word According to Karp”, a video series hosted by Jonathan Karp, the CEO of Simon & Schuster, who also loves the book and offers a great deal of insight about it.

Revisiting Two Books from Previous Newsletters
Over the last couple of months, we featured the guides for FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark and WIDOWLAND by C. J. Carey. FELLOWSHIP POINT is my latest Bets On selection; click here for my commentary. We also are happy to share with you this interview that Rebecca Munro did with C. J. Carey about WIDOWLAND, which is our latest Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight title on Bookreporter.

This is your last ReadingGroupGuides newsletter reminder to sign up for our upcoming “Bookaccino Live” preview event, which will take place on Wednesday, September 14th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between September 13th and October 4th, in addition to a few from November, that I would like to get on your radar. Click here to register. 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 a prize.

On Wednesday, September 28th at 12:30pm ET, members of the Simon & Schuster team will discuss next month’s Book Club Favorites pick, PEOPLE PERSON, with author Candice Carty-Williams. Click here to RSVP for the event. If you missed their discussion of this month’s pick, THE LAST TO VANISH, featuring Megan Miranda as their special guest, you can watch it here.

Next week is one of the few weeks out of the year when we do not update our websites, so we can really get away. I am not going far --- just heading to the Cleopatra tent with a pile of books. And I am going to try to leave my phone in the house.

See you in September!

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 Guide: OTHER BIRDS by Sarah Addison Allen
September’s Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick

OTHER BIRDS by Sarah Addison Allen (Fiction/Magical Realism)
Down a narrow alley in the small coastal town of Mallow Island, South Carolina, lies a stunning cobblestone building comprised of five apartments. It’s called The Dellawisp, and it is named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy. When Zoey Hennessey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment at The Dellawisp, she meets her quirky, enigmatic neighbors. Each with their own story. Each with their own longings. Each whose ending isn’t yet written. When one of them dies under odd circumstances the night Zoey arrives, she is thrust into the mystery of The Dellawisp, which involves missing pages from a legendary writer whose work might be hidden there.

» On Tuesday, October 4th at 3pm ET, Barnes & Noble will welcome Sarah Addison Allen for a live virtual event to discuss the book, which will be September's B&N Book Club pick. Click here to sign up.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide: THE LAST WHITE MAN by Mohsin Hamid

THE LAST WHITE MAN by Mohsin Hamid (Fiction)
One morning, a man wakes up to find himself transformed. Overnight, Anders’ skin has turned dark, and the reflection in the mirror seems a stranger to him. At first he shares his secret only with Oona, an old friend turned new lover. Reports of similar events soon begin to surface. Across the land, people are awakening in new incarnations, uncertain how their neighbors, friends and family will greet them. Some see the transformations as the long-dreaded overturning of the established order that must be resisted to a bitter end. In many, like Anders’ father and Oona’s mother, a sense of profound loss and unease wars with profound love. As the bond between Anders and Oona deepens, change takes on a different shading.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.

Click here for the discussion guide.

"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Enter to Win Up to 12 Paperback Copies of
THE READING LIST by Sara Nisha Adams for Your Group

Featured Guide:
A MAP FOR THE MISSING by Belinda Huijuan Tang

A MAP FOR THE MISSING by Belinda Huijuan Tang (Fiction)
Tang Yitian has been living in America for almost a decade when he receives an urgent phone call from his mother: his father has disappeared from the family’s rural village in China. Though they have been estranged for years, Yitian promises to come home. When Yitian attempts to piece together what may have happened, he struggles to navigate China’s impenetrable bureaucracy as an outsider, and his mother’s evasiveness only deepens the mystery. So he seeks out a childhood friend who may be in a position to help: Tian Hanwen. Reuniting for the first time as adults, Yitian and Hanwen embark on the search for Yitian’s father, all the while grappling with the past --- who Yitian’s father really was, and what might have been.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read critical praise.

Click here for the featured guide.

New Guide: THE BEST IS YET TO COME
by Debbie Macomber

THE BEST IS YET TO COME by Debbie Macomber (Fiction)
A new beginning in charming Oceanside, Washington, is exactly what Hope Godwin needs after the death of her twin brother. There are plenty of distractions, like her cozy cottage with the slightly nosy landlords next door, and a brewing drama among her students at the local high school. But Hope still feels that something is missing. That is, until her landlords convince her to volunteer at their animal shelter. There she meets Shadow, a rescue dog that everyone has given up on, though Hope believes he’s worth saving. Like Shadow, shelter volunteer Cade Lincoln Jr. is suffering with injuries most can’t see. A wounded ex-marine, Cade identifies with Shadow, assuming they are both beyond help. Hope senses that what they each need is someone to believe in them, and she has a lot of love to give.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide:
WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL
by Jillian Medoff

WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL by Jillian Medoff (Fiction)
Cassie Quinn knows a few things. One: money can’t buy happiness, but it’s certainly better to have it. Two: family matters most. Three: her younger brother, Billy, is not a rapist. When Billy, a junior at Princeton, is arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie joins forces with her big brother, Nate, and their parents, Lawrence and Eleanor. The Quinns scramble to hire the best legal minds money can buy, but Billy fits the all-too-familiar sex-offender profile --- white, athletic and privileged --- that makes headlines and sways juries. As reporters converge outside their Upper East Side landmark building, Cassie vows she’ll do whatever it takes to save Billy. But what if that means exposing her own darkest secrets to the world?

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New August Releases of Interest to Book Groups

Below are a number of books releasing in August for the first time (which we aren't currently featuring on the site or in the newsletter) that we think will be of interest to book groups.

ALL GOOD PEOPLE HERE by Ashley Flowers (Mystery/Thriller)
In this propulsive debut novel from the host of the #1 true crime podcast "Crime Junkie," a journalist uncovers her hometown’s dark secrets when she becomes obsessed with the unsolved murder of her childhood neighbor --- and the disappearance of another girl 20 years later.

BULLY MARKET: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs by Jamie Fiore Higgins (Business & Economics/Memoir)
BULLY MARKET is a rare, riveting insider’s account on Wall Street --- an updated LIAR'S POKER --- where greed coupled with misogyny and discrimination enforces a culture of exclusion in the upper echelons of Goldman Sachs. 

CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness from the New York Times bestselling author of MALIBU RISING, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime.

THE CHALLENGE by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
In this thrilling novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel, a small community is tested when their children go missing while exploring a dangerous local peak, forcing them to band together during the crisis.

DAISY DARKER by Alice Feeney (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
The New York Times bestselling author of ROCK PAPER SCISSORS returns with a locked-room mystery when a family reunion leads to murder in a delightfully twisty and atmospheric thriller.

FOX CREEK by William Kent Krueger (Mystery)
The latest in the New York Times bestselling Cork O’Connor mystery series from William Kent Krueger follows Cork in a race against time to save his wife, a mysterious stranger and an Ojibwe healer from bloodthirsty mercenaries.

GIRL, FORGOTTEN by Karin Slaughter (Mystery/Thriller)
From the New York Times bestselling author of PIECES OF HER comes an electrifying thriller featuring newly minted US Marshal Andrea Oliver as she investigates a cold case with links to her father’s past.

HAVEN by Emma Donoghue (Historical Fiction)
In this beautiful story of adventure and survival from the New York Times bestselling author of ROOM, three men vow to leave the world behind them as they set out in a small boat for an island their leader has seen in a dream, with only faith to guide them.

THE LOST GIRLS OF WILLOWBROOK by Ellen Marie Wiseman (Historical Fiction)
Girl, Interrupted meets "American Horror Story" in 1970s Staten Island, as New York Times bestselling author Ellen Marie Wiseman blends fact, fiction and urban legend for a haunting story about a young woman mistakenly imprisoned at Willowbrook State School, the real-life institution later shuttered for its heartbreaking abuses.

PROPERTIES OF THIRST by Marianne Wiggins (Historical Fiction)
Fifteen years after the publication of EVIDENCE OF THINGS UNSEEN, National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist Marianne Wiggins returns with a novel destined to be an American classic: a sweeping masterwork set during World War II about the meaning of family and the limitations of the American Dream.

RULES AT THE SCHOOL BY THE SEA: The Second School by the Sea Novel by Jenny Colgan (Fiction)
It’s summer, but school is in session in the delightful second book of New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan’s utterly charming School by the Sea series, set at a girls’ boarding school in Cornwall.

SISTER FRIENDS FOREVER by Kimberla Lawson Roby (Fiction)
This emotional novel from New York Times bestselling author Kimberla Lawson Roby follows four lifelong friends as each faces a crisis in family, love and forgiveness.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING by Julia Whelan (Romantic Comedy)
Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator --- who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident --- and her journey of self-discovery, love and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel.

WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME by Gillian McAllister (Psychological Thriller)
From UK bestselling author Gillian McAllister comes an astonishing, compulsively twisty psychological thriller about a mother who witnesses her teenage son stab a man and then seizes on an unconventional way to try to save him.

New Release Spotlight on Bookreporter.com:
FOX CREEK by William Kent Krueger

Bookreporter.com Bets On:
FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark

FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark (Fiction)
I typically am a very quick reader, but I found myself really slowing down to read FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark. Why? The beauty of her writing is as special as the story. And, ah, the story.

We have two very different women. Agnes Lee is an author, now in her 80s, who is best known for her children’s book series about a young girl named Nan. But unbeknownst to anyone, she also is the author of the bestselling Franklin Square novels, and she has one more story there that she would like to tell. Her childhood friend is Polly Wister, a well-off married woman with children. Polly’s life has been devoted to the happiness of her husband, who is demanding of her time and rather egotistical. And her children challenge her world, where she just wants peace and harmony.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.

Bookreporter.com's Interview with C. J. Carey,
Author of WIDOWLAND
A Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Title

WIDOWLAND by C. J. Carey is a thrilling feminist dystopian novel set in an alternative history that terrifyingly imagines what a British alliance with Germany would look like if the Nazis had won WWII. In this interview conducted by Bookreporter reviewer Rebecca Munro, Carey talks about her inspiration for the book’s premise; explains how she approached her research of major historical moments and figures to write the story; introduces readers to her main character, Rose, and Rose’s role in society; and offers a sneak peek at the sequel to WIDOWLAND, THE LAST QUEEN, which takes place two years later in 1955.

Announcing Bookreporter.com's 12th Annual
Fall Preview Contests and Feature

From left to right: Taylor Jenkins Reid, Kristina McMorris, Scott Shepherd

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

As many book and author events are still 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.

Monday, August 29th at 7pm ET: Murder By The Book: Karin Slaughter will talk about her new novel, GIRL, FORGOTTEN, with Mystery & Thriller Maven’s Sara DiVello. Newly minted US Marshal Andrea Oliver investigates a cold case with links to her father’s past.

Monday, August 29th at 8pm ET: Random House Studio Sessions: Random House Studio Sessions is Random House's new event series featuring live conversations with the biggest names on your bookshelf, filmed in their studio and broadcast virtually to wherever you are. The series launches with Taylor Jenkins Reid, who will talk about her latest novel, CARRIE SOTO IS BACK. Moderating the conversation will be Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of THE OTHER BLACK GIRL.

Wednesday, August 31st at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey and Patti Callahan Henry --- will talk to Team W (Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White), along with Miriam Parker, whose second novel, ROOM AND BOARD, is now in stores.

Thursday, September 1st at 9pm ET: Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore: Mysterious Galaxy will present a virtual event featuring Scott Shepherd and Brian Freeman. They will talk about their latest thrillers: Shepherd's SHOULD I FALL and Freeman's ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE SACRIFICE.

Tuesday, September 6th at 7pm ET: Sourcebooks: The Sourcebooks Booklight Events series presents Kristina McMorris (THE WAYS WE HIDE), Jennifer Coburn (CRADLES OF THE REICH) and Eden Robins (WHEN FRANNY STANDS UP) as they talk about their newest releases with Mary O’Malley, a bookseller at Skylark Bookshop.

Wednesday, September 7th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Kristina McMorris about her latest historical novel, THE WAYS WE HIDE, a sweeping World War II tale of an illusionist whose recruitment by British intelligence sets her on a perilous, heartrending path.

Thursday, September 8th at 7pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Anthony Marra for a live book club event to discuss MERCURY PICTURES PRESENTS, August's B&N Book Club pick. He will be in conversation with Shannon DeVito, the Director of Category Management at B&N, and Miwa Messer, B&N’s Editorial Director.

Thursday, September 8th at 8pm ET: Prairie Lights: Join Prairie Lights for a reading and conversation with Belinda Huijuan Tang in celebration of the release of her debut novel, A MAP FOR THE MISSING. She will be joined in conversation by Sanjena Sathian, author of the critically acclaimed novel, GOLD DIGGERS.

Wednesday, September 14th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between September 13th and October 4th, along with a few from November, that she would like to get on your radar.

Wednesday, September 14th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Sarah Addison Allen and Lauren K. Denton about their new novels: Allen's THE OTHER BIRDS (September's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick) and Denton's A PLACE TO LAND.

"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 are our latest interviews:

• Bonnie Garmus (LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY) Video | Podcast
• Casey Sherman (HELLTOWN: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer on Cape Cod)
  Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Kimberly Belle (MY DARLING HUSBAND) Video | Podcast
• Julie Clark (THE LIES I TELL) Video | Podcast
• Jane Green (SISTER STARDUST) Video | Podcast
• Jennifer Hillier (THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK) Video | Podcast
• Gilly Macmillan (THE LONG WEEKEND) Video | Podcast
• Sarah McCoy (MUSTIQUE ISLAND) Video | Podcast
• Meg Mitchell Moore (VACATIONLAND) Video | Podcast
• Allison Pataki (THE MAGNIFICENT LIVES OF MARJORIE POST) Video | Podcast
• Chris Pavone (TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON) Video | Podcast
• Tom Perrotta (TRACY FLICK CAN'T WIN) Video | Podcast
• Kim Michele Richardson (THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER) Podcast
• Katie Runde (THE SHORE) Video | Podcast
• John Searles (HER LAST AFFAIR) Video | Podcast
• Brendan Slocumb (THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY) Video | Podcast
• Amanda Eyre Ward (THE LIFEGUARDS) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Scott Shepherd (SHOULD I FALL)

Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.

Our Latest Guides

We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

THE BEST IS YET TO COME by Debbie Macomber (Fiction)
When a woman alone in the world bravely chooses to open her heart, two lost souls have a new chance at belonging in this intimate novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

THE FAMILY REMAINS by Lisa Jewell (Psychological Thriller)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jewell comes an intricate and affecting novel about twisted marriages, fractured families and deadly obsessions in this stand-alone sequel to THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS.

THE LAST WHITE MAN by Mohsin Hamid (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of EXIT WEST comes a story of love, loss and rediscovery in a time of unsettling change.

THE MANY DAUGHTERS OF AFONG MOY by Jamie Ford (Historical Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET returns with a powerful exploration of the love that binds one family across the generations.

A MAP FOR THE MISSING by Belinda Huijuan Tang (Fiction)
An epic, mesmerizing debut novel set against a rapidly changing post–Cultural Revolution China, A MAP FOR THE MISSING reckons with the costs of pursuing one’s dreams and the lives we leave behind.

MERCURY PICTURES PRESENTS by Anthony Marra (Historical Fiction)
From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of A CONSTELLATION OF VITAL PHENOMENA comes the epic tale of a brilliant woman who must reinvent herself to survive, moving from Mussolini’s Italy to 1940s Los Angeles.

MIKA IN REAL LIFE by Emiko Jean (Fiction)
From Emiko Jean, the author of the New York Times bestselling young adult novel TOKYO EVER AFTER, comes a whip-smart, laugh-out-loud funny and utterly heartwarming novel about motherhood, daughterhood and love --- how we find it, keep it, and how it always returns.

OTHER BIRDS by Sarah Addison Allen (Fiction/Magical Realism)
From the acclaimed author of GARDEN SPELLS comes an enchanting tale of lost souls, lonely strangers, secrets that shape us, and how the right flock can guide you home.

THE READING LIST by Sara Nisha Adams (Fiction)
THE READING LIST is an unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb.

WHEN WE WERE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL by Jillian Medoff (Fiction)
The acclaimed, bestselling author of THIS COULD HURT returns with her biggest, boldest novel yet --- an electrifying, twisty and deeply emotional family drama, set on Manhattan’s glittering Upper East Side, that explores the dark side of love, the limits of loyalty and the high cost of truth.

WIDOWLAND by C. J. Carey (Alternate History/Dystopian Thriller)
For readers of Margaret Atwood's THE HANDMAID'S TALE comes a thrilling feminist dystopian novel set in an alternative history that terrifyingly imagines what a British alliance with Germany would look like if the Nazis had won World War II.

Please note that this title, for which we already had the guide when it appeared in hardcover, is now available in paperback:

THE PHOTOGRAPHER by Mary Dixie Carter (Psychological Thriller)
Mary Dixie Carter's THE PHOTOGRAPHER is a slyly observed, suspenseful story of envy and obsession, told in the mesmerizing, irresistible voice of a character who will make you doubt that seeing is ever believing.

Quick Links to Features on ReadingGroupGuides.com

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