October 29, 2022

October 29, 2022

100% Agreement

My book group has been meeting for 3 ½ years. This month was the first time we all agreed that not only did we like the book we were discussing, we also were enthusiastic about it: BULLY MARKET: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs by Jamie Fiore Higgins. We were lucky enough to have Jamie join us in person for our discussion, and we talked for almost 2 ½ hours.

We had two new members join us, and they too jumped in with questions and feedback; most had read the book in a day. In case you doubt that the conversation was riveting, there were six bottles of wine left over at the end of the night, no one ate the cheese and crackers, and the brownies were only consumed when they were passed around. I mean, leftover wine, folks. Seriously? You can see our group above. Of course, no one had a book on hand for this photo (and yes, maybe we could have staged it better). Many had listened to the audio narrated by Jamie, and others had read the e-book.

This has been the reaction from the groups that Jamie has been talking to since BULLY MARKET came out on August 30th. It’s unusual that a book takes off this quickly with book groups, but during our discussion --- which moved briskly from topic to topic with group members' personal stories (breastfeeding at work, a miscarriage at the office, bullies on the floor, women not supporting other women) --- we saw why. Women want to talk about what’s going on in the workplace. We also touched on how younger people will react to tough workplace culture. It was a great evening.

Next month, we are reading HONOR by Thrity Umrigar, which is my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. And speaking of which...

I also had a wonderful conversation with Alli Frank and Asha Youmans about their first two novels, TINY IMPERFECTIONS and the newly released NEVER MEANT TO MEET YOU, both of which are Bets On selections. These books are sharply smart and full of comedic timing (I laughed out loud reading them) as readers see both dialogue and inner monologue from characters.

Alli and Asha once worked together in a tony private school; Alli was a kindergarten teacher, and Asha was an administrator. Each often said, “If I ever write a book.” And then one day they joined to do just that. They talk about their co-writing process and share how their different backgrounds --- Alli is white and Jewish, Asha is Black and Baptist --- inform their writing realistic characters. At a time when diversity is being touted in publishing, Alli and Asha are creating characters who talk the talk --- and make you laugh. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.

This Month’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group Event
On Thursday night, we hosted a “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event featuring Joyce Maynard. Not only did she talk about her latest novel, COUNT THE WAYS (now out in paperback), she also shared her excitement over the sequel to the book, which she is currently writing. Joyce even encouraged our attendees to write in the chat what they would like to see happen in the sequel. She loves receiving feedback like this from her readers, and we happily will be sending all of their comments to her!

It just so happens that Thursday marked the release of an e-book original from Joyce, THE INFLUENCER, an Amazon short story that she talked about during the event. Insta-fame has deadly repercussions in this dark tale of psychological suspense. It’s available as a download on Amazon Singles for $1.99 (and it’s free if you’re an Amazon Prime or Kindle Unlimited subscriber). Click here for more plot details and to download it now!

A couple of our readers appeared on camera to ask Joyce questions about the book, and then we opened up the Q&A to the rest of our viewing audience. It was a lovely evening, and we look forward to sharing the event with you next week. The video will be up on our YouTube channel, and the podcast will appear on our Videos & Podcasts page.

I am happy to announce that Charmaine Wilkerson will be our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest. The event will be held on Wednesday, November 30th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up for it here. We will be talking about Charmaine’s debut novel, BLACK CAKE --- a New York Times bestseller, a “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick, and a Bets On selection when it came out in hardcover earlier this year. The timing here is perfect as the paperback releases the day before the event.

Just as we did on Thursday night, there will be a two-part Q&A session after I talk to Charmaine. For the first part, those who are asking a question “on camera” will be featured. This includes spending time with Charmaine backstage in our virtual green room before the show starts. If you would like to ask your question “live on screen” this way, please email it to me using the subject line “Black Cake.” For those who are camera shy, there will be a traditional Q&A segment as well.

It was announced last week that Oprah’s latest Book Club pick is DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver. Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, it’s the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit and a fierce talent for survival. He braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves and crushing losses.

Oprah says, “This is the second time I’ve chosen one of Barbara Kingsolver’s novels for my book club --- 22 years ago we named THE POISONWOOD BIBLE as a selection. Her latest book grabbed me from its opening lines. I so admire the way Barbara has taken the plight of a young boy and invited us on his journey through loss, the foster system, addiction, and so much more. The novel speaks to so many of our country’s relevant issues, but most importantly, it’s absolutely riveting.”

Oprah will sit down with Kingsolver and Oprah Daily Insiders for an interactive book club gathering on Thursday, November 17th at 7pm ET. Click here for the discussion guide and here for our review on Bookreporter.

HESTER is Laurie Lico Albanese’s latest work of fiction. It’s a vivid reimagining of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne, the tragic heroine of Nathaniel Hawthorne's THE SCARLET LETTER, and a journey into the enduring legacy of New England's witchcraft trials. According to our Bookreporter reviewer Rebecca Munro, “With conscientious and diligent research into the witch trials, the slave trade, the work of a seamstress, and life in early 19th-century America, Albanese has created a rich, immersive window into life as a newly arrived American during one of the more tumultuous and change-driven periods of American history.” Click here for the guide and here to read the full review.

We also have added guides for these three books, all of which released in paperback this month:

• CROSSROADS: Jonathan Franzen’s novels are celebrated for their unforgettably vivid characters and for their keen-eyed take on contemporary America. Now, Franzen ventures back into the past and explores the history of two generations in a tour de force of interwoven perspectives and sustained suspense.
   
• THE SANTA SUIT: In Mary Kay Andrews’ holiday novella, newly divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse. Among the possessions left behind is a Santa suit, and in the pocket is a note from a little girl who has one Christmas wish: that her father return home from the war. The note sets Ivy off on a mission to find out who wrote it.
   
• THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS: Inspired by the real-life Chicago heiress Mary Jayne Gold, who worked with American journalist Varian Fry to smuggle artists and intellectuals out of France, Meg Waite Clayton’s novel is the haunting story of an indomitable woman whose strength, bravery and love is a beacon of hope in a time of terror.

Last Chance to Enter Our Monthly Contest
You have until Wednesday, November 9th at noon ET to enter our current “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest. Three groups will win up to 12 copies of Kristina McMorris’ recently released World War II novel, THE WAYS WE HIDE. Lisa Wingate, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of BEFORE WE WERE YOURS, calls it “[a] riveting tale of intrigue and illusion, danger and historical mystery, but at its heart the story of one woman’s struggle to escape her own past. While using her remarkable skills to help captured soldiers, Fenna finds herself face-to-face with what she loves most and what she fears most, trapped in a place where each decision she makes could unlock the paths to freedom and a future…or death.”

This is your last ReadingGroupGuides newsletter reminder to sign up for our final “Bookaccino Live” preview event of 2022, which will take place on Wednesday, November 9th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between November 8th and the end of the year, in addition to a few from January and February 2023, 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 Monday, November 21st at 1pm ET, members of the Simon & Schuster team will discuss November’s Book Club Favorites pick, IT STARTS WITH US, with Colleen Hoover. This is the long-anticipated sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller, IT ENDS WITH US. Click here to RSVP for the event. If you missed their discussion of October's pick, THE NIGHT SHIP, featuring Jess Kidd as their special guest, you can watch it here.

THE NIGHT SHIP is also October’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. B&N will host a virtual event featuring Jess on Tuesday, November 8th at 3pm ET. Be sure to sign up for the event by clicking here.

Earlier this month, our Contest Coordinator, Lisa Hickman, had the pleasure of seeing Marie Benedict at a luncheon that was sponsored by the Ocean City Free Public Library and the Friends & Volunteers of the OCFPL. Here’s what she had to say about it:

“After Jamie Ford zoomed into our Yacht Club of Stone Harbor September book club meeting to discuss THE MANY DAUGHTERS OF AFONG MOY, a group of us enjoyed lunch at Yvette’s Café in Stone Harbor. Barbara Schmidt nonchalantly mentioned that she was heading to the Ocean City Free Public Library to stand in line for tickets to see Marie Benedict. Fast forward to yesterday, a crowd of over 400+ gathered at the historic Flanders Hotel for the first Author’s Luncheon since COVID. A formal meal was served while Marie discussed her latest novel, HER HIDDEN GENIUS, and how visiting cultural centers in New York City as a practicing lawyer led her to writing. We learned how she 'goes down a rabbit hole' when researching the many incredible contributions of women that have been hidden in our history. After six days of Ian’s gloomy weather, blue skies and ocean breezes greeted us as we strolled the boardwalk to the event.”

We will be back in three weeks with our next newsletter. For those of you who are meeting with your group in November, enjoy your 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 Guide:
DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver
Oprah’s Latest Book Club Pick

DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver (Fiction)
DEMON COPPERHEAD is set in the mountains of southern Appalachia. It’s the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit and a fierce talent for survival. In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to see why the book is Oprah's latest Book Club pick.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide: HESTER by Laurie Lico Albanese

HESTER by Laurie Lico Albanese (Historical Fiction)
Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress carrying generations of secrets when she sets sail from Scotland in the early 1800s with her husband, Edward. An apothecary who has fallen under the spell of opium, his pile of debts have forced them to flee Glasgow for a fresh start in the New World. But only days after they've arrived in Salem, Edward abruptly joins a departing ship as a medic --- leaving Isobel penniless and alone in a strange country. When she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are instantly drawn to each other. As the weeks pass and Edward's safe return grows increasingly unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel grow closer and closer. Together, they are a muse and a dark storyteller; the enchanter and the enchanted. But which is which?

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- 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 Copies of
THE WAYS WE HIDE by Kristina McMorris for Your Group

New Guide: CROSSROADS by Jonathan Franzen
Now Available in Paperback

CROSSROADS by Jonathan Franzen (Fiction)
It’s December 23, 1971, and heavy weather is forecast for Chicago. Russ Hildebrandt, the associate pastor of a liberal suburban church, is on the brink of breaking free of a marriage he finds joyless --- unless his wife, Marion, who has her own secret life, beats him to it. Their eldest child, Clem, is coming home from college on fire with moral absolutism, having taken an action that will shatter his father. Clem’s sister, Becky, long the social queen of her high-school class, has sharply veered into the counterculture, while their brilliant younger brother Perry, who’s been selling drugs to seventh graders, has resolved to be a better person. Each of the Hildebrandts seeks a freedom that each of the others threatens to complicate.

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

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide: THE SANTA SUIT by Mary Kay Andrews
Now Available in Paperback

THE SANTA SUIT by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
When newly divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love, but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it. At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit --- beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to visit Mary Kay Andrews' website.

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide:
THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS by Meg Waite Clayton
Now Available in Paperback

THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS by Meg Waite Clayton (Historical Fiction)
Wealthy, beautiful Naneé was born with a spirit of adventure. For her, learning to fly is freedom. When German tanks roll across the border and into Paris, this woman with an adorable dog and a generous heart joins the resistance. Known as the Postmistress because she delivers information to those in hiding, Naneé uses her charms and skill to house the hunted and deliver them to safety. Photographer Edouard Moss has escaped Germany with his young daughter only to be interned in a French labor camp. His life collides with Nanée’s in this sweeping tale of romance and danger set in a world aflame with personal and political passion.

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

Click here for the discussion guide.

New October Releases of Interest to Book Groups

Below are a number of books that released in October 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.

ANYWHERE YOU RUN by Wanda M. Morris (Historical Thriller)
From the award-winning author of ALL HER LITTLE SECRETS comes yet another gripping, suspenseful novel where, after the murder of a white man in Jim Crow Mississippi, two Black sisters run away to different parts of the country. But can they escape the secrets they left behind?

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Two lifelong friends decide to trade places the week before Christmas and end up finding love along the way in this delightful novel from the queen of holiday stories, #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

DINOSAURS by Lydia Millet (Fiction)
DINOSAURS is both sharp-edged and tender, an emotionally moving, intellectually resonant novel that asks: In the shadow of existential threat, where does hope live?

EYES TURNED SKYWARD by Alena Dillon (Historical Fiction)
From the author of MERCY HOUSE and THE HAPPIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD comes a brilliant, dual-timeline novel about a daughter discovering her mother’s past as a female pilot during World War II and the consequences of women’s contributions remaining unrecognized.

THE FAMILY GAME by Catherine Steadman (Psychological Thriller)
Harriet Reed, a novelist on the brink of literary stardom, is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of an extremely powerful family. News of the couple’s marital bliss has the Holbecks inching back into their lives. As Harriet is drawn into their lavish world, the family seems perfectly welcoming. But looks can be very deceiving.

THE HERO OF THIS BOOK by Elizabeth McCracken (Fiction)
This taut, groundbreaking new novel from bestselling and award-winning author Elizabeth McCracken is about a writer’s relationship with her larger-than-life mother --- and about the very nature of writing, memory and art.

THE HIGH NOTES by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
In this heartfelt novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel, a young woman with an unforgettable voice fights for the freedom to pursue her dreams.

HOME SWEET CHRISTMAS by Susan Mallery (Romance)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery comes a witty and heartfelt story of two friends who unexpectedly find the person --- and the place in which --- they belong this Christmas.

NEVER MEANT TO MEET YOU by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans (Romantic Comedy)
From the authors of TINY IMPERFECTIONS comes a riotously funny, emotionally real look at race and religion, love and heartache, and the realities of parenting through it all.

THE SINGULARITIES by John Banville (Fiction)
From revered Booker Prize-winning author John Banville comes a playful, multilayered novel of nostalgia, life and death, and quantum theory, which opens with the return of one of his most celebrated characters as he is released from prison.

WHEN WE HAD WINGS by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris and Susan Meissner (Historical Fiction)
From bestselling authors Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris and Susan Meissner comes an interwoven tale about a trio of World War II nurses stationed in the South Pacific who wage their own battle for freedom and survival.

Bookreporter.com Bets On: HONOR by Thrity Umrigar

HONOR by Thrity Umrigar (Fiction)
I discovered Thrity Umrigar’s work back in 2006 when I read THE SPACE BETWEEN US. It’s a book from which I drew so much meaning; I still know exactly where it is on my bookshelf. Her latest novel, HONOR, once again brought me memorable characters and a lot to think about.

In it, Smita, an Indian American journalist, has been asked by her colleague, Shannon, to cover the verdict of a trial in a small Indian village for her. For years, Smita has traveled the world working on stories but with one proviso: she will not go to India. However, Shannon convinces her that this assignment is urgent. Meena, a young Hindu woman, married a Muslim man. Her family is so shamed by this union that a horrific act of violence was committed on the couple by her brothers. And they are on trial.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- 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 Thrity Umrigar.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.

From left to right: Philippa Gregory, Barbara Kingsolver, Jess Kidd

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.

Tuesday, November 1st at 1pm ET: National Archives: In his new book, THE LAST CAMPAIGN, bestselling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H. W. Brands follows the lives of General William Tecumseh Sherman and Apache war leader Geronimo to tell the story of the Indian Wars and the final fight for control of the American continent. Brands will discuss how Sherman and Geronimo were keen strategists and bold soldiers, ruthless with their enemies.

Tuesday, November 1st at 7pm ET: Hudson Library & Historical Society: Hudson Library & Historical Society will host a live virtual streaming event with Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham, who will talk about his latest book, AND THERE WAS LIGHT: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle.

Wednesday, November 2nd at 4pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's, in partnership with Book Passage, will host Barbara Kingsolver as she discusses her new book, DEMON COPPERHEAD, which is Oprah's latest Book Club pick. She will be in conversation with DOPESICK author Beth Macy.

Wednesday, November 2nd 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 Wanda M. Morris about her latest novel, the gripping and suspenseful ANYWHERE YOU RUN.

Tuesday, November 8th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Jess Kidd for a live book club event to discuss THE NIGHT SHIP, October's B&N Book Club pick. She will be in conversation with Shannon DeVito, the Director of Category Management at B&N, and Miwa Messer, B&N’s Editorial Director.

Wednesday, November 9th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles coming out between November 8th and the end of the year, along with a few from January and February, that she would like to get on your radar.

Wednesday, November 9th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Philippa Gregory about her novel, DAWNLANDS, the third installment in her Fairmile series. Here, the fiercely independent Alinor and her family find themselves entangled in palace intrigue and political upheaval in 17th-century England.

Thursday, November 10th at 1pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Philippa Gregory will discuss her new historical novel, DAWNLANDS, the continuation of her Fairmile series. She will be in conversation with special guest host Gareth Russell, author of THE SHIP OF DREAMS.

"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:

• Alli Frank and Asha Youmans (NEVER MEANT TO MEET YOU) Video | Podcast
• Thrity Umrigar (HONOR) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Julie Clark (THE LIES I TELL) Video | Podcast
• Bonnie Garmus (LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY) Video | Podcast
• Jane Green (SISTER STARDUST) Video | Podcast
• Jennifer Hillier (THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK) Video | Podcast
• Sally Koslow (THE REAL MRS. TOBIAS) Video | Podcast
• Lynda Cohen Loigman (THE MATCHMAKER'S GIFT) Video | Podcast
• Gilly Macmillan (THE LONG WEEKEND) Video | Podcast
• Sarah McCoy (MUSTIQUE ISLAND) Video | Podcast
• Meg Mitchell Moore (VACATIONLAND) 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
• Casey Sherman (HELLTOWN: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer on Cape Cod)
  Video | Podcast
• Amanda Eyre Ward (THE LIFEGUARDS) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Jamie Fiore Higgins (BULLY MARKET: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs)
• 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:

CROSSROADS by Jonathan Franzen (Fiction)
A tour de force of interwoven perspectives and sustained suspense, its action largely unfolding on a single winter day, CROSSROADS is the story of a Midwestern family at a pivotal moment of moral crisis.

DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of UNSHELTERED and FLIGHT BEHAVIOR comes a brilliant novel that enthralls, compels and captures the heart as it evokes a young hero’s unforgettable journey to maturity.

HESTER by Laurie Lico Albanese (Historical Fiction)
Laurie Lico Albanese's HESTER is a vivid reimagining of the woman who inspired Hester Prynne, the tragic heroine of Nathaniel Hawthorne's THE SCARLET LETTER, and a journey into the enduring legacy of New England's witchcraft trials.

MAD HONEY by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (Fiction)
MAD HONEY is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.

MISS DEL RÍO: A Novel of Dolores del Río, the First Major Latina Star in Hollywood by Bárbara Mujica (Historical Fiction)
As the Mexican Revolution spreads, Dolores, the daughter of a wealthy banker, must flee her comfortable life in Durango or risk death. Spanning half a century and narrated by Dolores’ fictional hairdresser and longtime friend, MISS DEL RÍO traces the life of a trailblazing woman whose legacy in Hollywood and in Mexico still shines bright today.

THE NIGHT SHIP by Jess Kidd (Historical Fiction)
Based on a real-life event, this epic historical novel from the award-winning author of THINGS IN JARS illuminates the lives of two characters: a girl shipwrecked on an island off Western Australia and, 300 years later, a boy finding a home with his grandfather on the very same island.

OUR MISSING HEARTS by Celeste Ng (Fiction)
OUR MISSING HEARTS is an old story made new, of the ways supposedly civilized communities can ignore the most searing injustice. It’s a story about the power --- and limitations --- of art to create change, the lessons and legacies we pass on to our children, and how any of us can survive a broken world with our hearts intact.

THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS by Meg Waite Clayton (Historical Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of THE LAST TRAIN TO LONDON revisits the dark early days of the German occupation in France in this haunting novel --- a love story and a tale of high-stakes danger and incomparable courage --- about a young American heiress who helps artists hunted by the Nazis escape from war-torn Europe.

THE SANTA SUIT by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
From Mary Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of HELLO, SUMMER, comes a novella celebrating the magic of Christmas and second chances in THE SANTA SUIT.

THE WAYS WE HIDE by Kristina McMorris (Historical Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of SOLD ON A MONDAY comes a sweeping World War II tale of an illusionist whose recruitment by British intelligence sets her on a perilous, heartrending path.

THE WHALEBONE THEATRE by Joanna Quinn (Historical Fiction)
This transporting, irresistible debut novel --- a story of love, bravery, lost innocence and self-transformation --- takes its heroine, Cristabel Seagrave, from the gargantuan cavity of a beached whale into undercover operations during World War II.

Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:

THE BOOK OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (Fiction/Magical Realism)
Master storyteller Alice Hoffman brings us the conclusion of the Practical Magic series in a spellbinding and enchanting final Owens novel brimming with lyric beauty and vivid characters.

GREENWICH PARK by Katherine Faulkner (Domestic Thriller)
As electrifying as THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, this twisty, whip-smart debut thriller is about impending motherhood, unreliable friendship and the high price of keeping secrets.

HONOR by Thrity Umrigar (Fiction)
In this riveting and immersive novel, bestselling author Thrity Umrigar tells the story of two couples and the sometimes dangerous and heartbreaking challenges of love across a cultural divide.

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