June 17, 2023

June 17, 2023

Book Group Tripping

Earlier this month, my book group finally headed out on a long-awaited road trip together. Two others were to join us until “life got in the way.” With me at the wheel, and at certain points all of us studying Waze directions (“Um, Carol, I think we passed the exit to the Saw Mill.” And “Carol, we passed it again.”), we headed to Bethlehem, Connecticut, to see Martha Hall Kelly speak about her work and to tour the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden.

We will not be hosting our "Bookaccino Live" Book Group in June, July or August.

But...I am excited to announce that Alice Elliott Dark will be our first “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest of the fall. The event will be held on Wednesday, September 27th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up for it here. As the book is nearly 600 pages, we want to make sure you have plenty of time to read it before we gather for our discussion. I had a great conversation with Alice a few weeks ago for a “Bookreporter Talks To” segment, and I can’t wait to hear much more from her about the book.

Here's the format of the program: After I talk to Alice for a bit, there will be a two-part Q&A session. For the first part, those who are asking a question “on camera” will be featured. This includes spending time with Alice 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 me with the subject line "Alice" by noon ET on September 27th. Be sure to include your name, city and state, as well as your question. If you do not want to appear on camera but still would like to ask a question, please note that you want to be off camera, and share your question --- adding your name, city and state.

Our Most Popular Book Group Selections from May’s Contest
In our previous “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest, here are the five books mentioned most frequently by book groups that they have read: LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus, HORSE by Geraldine Brooks, DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver (the co-winner of this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the winner of this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction), THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME by Laura Dave, and THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles. Scroll further down the newsletter to see the Top 15.

Fiona Davis’ historical novels are set in iconic New York City buildings, and her latest is no exception. THE SPECTACULAR, which has a gorgeous cover, is set amidst the glitz and glamour of Radio City Music Hall in 1956.

Nineteen-year-old Marion Brooks jumps at the chance to audition for the Radio City Rockettes and inject some excitement into her predictable life. But New York City is reeling from a string of bombings orchestrated by the “Big Apple Bomber." The police turn to Peter Griggs, a young doctor who espouses a radical new technique: psychological profiling.

As both Marion and Peter find themselves unexpectedly pulled into the police search for the bomber, Marion realizes that if she hopes to catch the culprit, she’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. In doing so, she may be forced to sacrifice everything she’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most. Click here for the guide and here for our review on Bookreporter.

Ashley Audrain’s debut novel, THE PUSH, was a New York Times bestseller, a “Good Morning America” Book Club pick, and a Bets On selection. Her second book, THE WHISPERS, is now in stores, and I am hoping to read it soon.

Xavier, the Loverlys’ young son, is in a coma after falling from his bedroom window in the middle of the night. His mother, Whitney, will not speak to anyone. Back home, their friends and neighbors are left in shock, each confronting their own role in the events that led up to what happened that terrible night.

Set against the heart-wrenching drama of what will happen to Xavier, who hangs between death and life, or a life changed forever, THE WHISPERS is about what happens when we put our needs ahead of our children's. Exploring the quiet sacrifices of motherhood, the intuitions that we silence, the complexities of our closest friendships, and the danger of envy, this is a novel about the reverberations of life's most difficult decisions. Click here for the guide and here for our Bookreporter review.

We also have added guides for these four books:

• THE PARIS DAUGHTER: Elise and Juliette became fast friends the first day they met. Both young mothers-to-be, living in 1939 Paris, they were certain nothing could come between them. But neither woman could have predicted the shadow that war would cast across France, or how it would upend their lives, in Kristin Harmel’s gripping new historical novel.
   
• CROW MARY: Kathleen Grissom follows up her book club classics THE KITCHEN HOUSE and the sequel, GLORY OVER EVERYTHING, with a novel inspired by the true story of Crow Mary --- an indigenous woman torn between two worlds in 19th-century North America. Sweeping across decades and the landscape of the upper West and Canada, the book probes the intimacies of a marriage and one woman’s heart.
   
• CASSANDRA IN REVERSE: Holly Smale’s debut novel is Reese’s Book Club pick for June. Here’s what Reese has to say about it: “This super charming and witty novel is about main character Cassie, who is stuck in a time loop and trying to fix the third worst day of her life. You may THINK you know what’s going on...but keep reading!! If you could go back in time, what would you change?!”
   
• THE CELEBRANTS: Jenna Bush Hager has selected Steven Rowley’s new novel as this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Jenna says, “Imagine your group of friends from college who know you better than anybody else. Who knew you before your marriages, your kids, your jobs. Upon losing one of their dearest friends, this group decides they’re going to meet and celebrate with each other when one of them needs it most. They get together and have basically living funerals where they tell each other how much they love each other.”

INK BLOOD SISTER SCRIBE by debut novelist Emma Törzs is this month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick. Here’s how “GMA” describes the book: “This mystery-filled novel builds a deep world of generational secrets that have haunted one family tasked with guarding a collection of ancient and rare books. Follow the Kalotay family as estranged half-sisters Joanna and Esther reunite to guard their family's library of magical books and work together to unravel a deadly web of familial loyalty, betrayal and the pursuit of power.”

For more June selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.

We hosted this month’s “Bookaccino Live” book preview event on Wednesday afternoon. I talked about 26 books releasing between now and July 4th, plus 14 from August, that we wanted to get on your radar. You can watch the presentation here and see a list of the featured titles here.

Next month's “Bookaccino Live” book preview event will take place on Wednesday, July 12th at 2pm ET. I will present titles releasing between July 11th and August 1st, in addition to a few from September, that we 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 a prize.

This is your last ReadingGroupGuides newsletter reminder to sign up for our very special “Bookaccino Live” evening event on Wednesday, June 28th at 8pm ET. I will be presenting a number of titles releasing this summer that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months. You can register for the program by clicking here.

On the Road Again
On Tuesday night, I am going to be in Rockville Centre as the Rockville Centre Public Library hosts their Summer Reading Kickoff at 7pm. I have been out there many times for this program, and I really am looking forward to it. Our Contest Coordinator, Lisa Hickman, is going to be joining me for this event. On Wednesday, Lisa and I will be attending an event that Lisa See is doing at Bryant Park in New York City. If any of you are in the city next week, the program starts at 12:30pm.

On Wednesday night, I will be back home in time to virtually host a Summer Reading Program for the Fairfield Public Library at 6:30pm. Then, for those planning for the following week, I will be in Avalon, NJ at the Avalon Free Public Library to moderate an event on Monday, June 26th at 6pm.

Enjoy your discussion this month!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links for shopping, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound. As you check out the discussion guides and features on our site, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!

New Guide: LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See
Costco’s “Buyer’s Pick” and Simon & Schuster’s
Book Club Favorites Pick for June,
and an Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See (Historical Fiction)
According to Confucius, “an educated woman is a worthless woman,” but Tan Yunxian is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine. Yunxian learns about women’s illnesses alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose. No mud, no lotus, they tell themselves: from adversity beauty can bloom. But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and from helping the women in the household. Yunxian is to act like a proper wife --- embroider bound-foot slippers, pluck instruments, recite poetry, give birth to sons, and stay forever within the walls of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights.

- 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 watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Lisa See.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to visit Lisa See's website.
- Click here for Lisa See's book tour schedule.
- Click here to see why the book is Costco's "Buyer's Pick" for this month.

» LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN is this month’s pick for Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites. On Tuesday, June 27th at 1pm ET, members of the S&S team will talk to Lisa about the book. Click here to sign up.

Click here for the discussion guide.

LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in the next newsletter.

New Guide: THE SPECTACULAR by Fiona Davis

THE SPECTACULAR by Fiona Davis (Historical Fiction)
New York City, 1956: When 19-year-old Marion Brooks comes across an opportunity to audition for the Radio City Rockettes, she jumps at the chance to exchange her predictable future for the dazzling life of a performer. Meanwhile, the city is reeling from a string of bombings orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the “Big Apple Bomber." With the public in an uproar, the police turn to Peter Griggs, a young doctor who espouses a radical new technique: psychological profiling. As both Marion and Peter find themselves unexpectedly pulled into the police search for the bomber, Marion realizes that if she hopes to catch the culprit, she’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. In doing so, she may be forced to sacrifice everything she’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most.

- 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 12 Paperback Copies of
FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark for Your Group

New Guide: THE WHISPERS by Ashley Audrain

THE WHISPERS by Ashley Audrain (Domestic Thriller)
The Loverlys’ young son is in a coma after falling from his bedroom window in the middle of the night. His mother, Whitney, will not speak to anyone. Back home, their friends and neighbors are left in shock, each confronting their own role in the events that led up to what happened that terrible night: the Parks, the Loverlys' best friends; the Goldsmiths, who are struggling to start a family of their own; and the Portuguese couple who care for their adult son with a developmental disability and watch their neighbors go about their busy lives. The story spins out over the course of one week, in the alternating voices of the women in each family as they are forced to face the secrets within the walls of their own homes, and the uncomfortable truths that connect them all to one another.

- 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 PARIS DAUGHTER by Kristin Harmel

THE PARIS DAUGHTER by Kristin Harmel (Historical Fiction)
Paris, 1939: Young mothers Elise and Juliette become fast friends the day they meet in the beautiful Bois de Boulogne. Though there is a shadow of war creeping across Europe, neither woman suspects that their lives are about to irrevocably change. When Elise becomes a target of the German occupation, she entrusts Juliette with the most precious thing in her life --- her young daughter, playmate to Juliette’s own little girl. But nowhere is safe in war, not even a quiet little bookshop like Juliette’s Librairie des Rêves. When a bomb falls on their neighborhood, Juliette’s world is destroyed along with it. More than a year later, with the war finally ending, Elise returns to reunite with her daughter, only to find her friend’s bookstore reduced to rubble --- and Juliette nowhere to be found.

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

Click here for the discussion guide.

New Guide: CROW MARY by Kathleen Grissom

CROW MARY by Kathleen Grissom (Historical Fiction)
In 1872, 16-year-old Goes First, a Crow Native woman, marries Abe Farwell, a white fur trader. He gives her the name Mary, and they set off on the long trip to his trading post in the Cypress Hills of Saskatchewan, Canada. Along the way, she finds a fast friend; makes a lifelong enemy; and, despite learning a dark secret of Farwell’s past, falls in love with her husband. Then, on the eve of their return to Montana, a group of drunken whiskey traders slaughters 40 Nakota. Mary sees the murderers take five Nakota women back to their fort. She begs Farwell to save them, and when he refuses, she takes two guns, creeps into the fort and saves the women from certain death. Thus, she sets off a whirlwind of colliding cultures that pushes the love between Farwell and Crow Mary to the breaking point.

- 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: CASSANDRA IN REVERSE by Holly Smale
Reese’s Book Club Pick for June

CASSANDRA IN REVERSE by Holly Smale (Fiction)
Cassandra Penelope Dankworth is a creature of habit. She likes what she likes (museums, jumpsuits, her boyfriend, Will) and strongly dislikes what she doesn't (mess, change, her boss drinking out of her mug). Her life runs in a pleasing, predictable order…until now. She's just been dumped. She's just been fired. Her local café has run out of banana muffins. Then, something truly unexpected happens: Cassie discovers she can go back and change the past. One small rewind at a time, Cassie attempts to fix the life she accidentally obliterated. But soon she'll discover she's trying to fix all the wrong things.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- 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: THE CELEBRANTS by Steven Rowley
June’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club Pick

THE CELEBRANTS by Steven Rowley (Fiction)
It’s been five years since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends. Now Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig and Marielle find themselves at the brink of a new decade, with all the responsibilities of adulthood, yet no closer to having their lives figured out. Though not for a lack of trying. Over the years they’ve reunited in Big Sur to honor a decades-old pact to throw each other living “funerals,” celebrations to remind themselves that life is worth living --- that their lives mean something, to one another if not to themselves. But this reunion is different. They’re not gathered as they were to bolster Marielle as her marriage crumbled, to lift Naomi after her parents died, or to intervene when Craig pleaded guilty to art fraud. This time, Jordan is sitting on a secret that will upend their pact.

- 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 see why the book is this month's "Read with Jenna" pick.

Click here for the discussion guide.

Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for June

Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads, as well as the Target Book Club title and Costco's "Buyer's Pick." 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, and Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites.

Below is a preview of June'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: YELLOWFACE by R. F. Kuang
GOOD NIGHT, IRENE by Luis Alberto Urrea
LOVE, THEORETICALLY by Ali Hazelwood
LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See
WITCH KING by Martha Wells

LibraryReads
Top Pick: THE QUIET TENANT by Clémence Michallon
ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S. A. Cosby
THE BRIGHTEST STAR by Gail Tsukiyama
A CROWN OF IVY AND GLASS: The Middlemist Trilogy, Book One by Claire Legrand
THE FIRST LADIES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Target Book Club
HOW DO I UN-REMEMBER THIS?: Unfortunately True Stories, by Danny Pellegrino

Costco's "Buyer's Pick"
LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See

Barnes & Noble Book Club
GOOD NIGHT, IRENE by Luis Alberto Urrea

Reese's Book Club
CASSANDRA IN REVERSE by Holly Smale

Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club
THE CELEBRANTS by Steven Rowley

"Good Morning America" Book Club
INK BLOOD SISTER SCRIBE by Emma Törzs

Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites
LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See

Our Most Popular Book Group Selections for May's
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest

In May's “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest, here are the 15 books mentioned most frequently by book groups that they have read:

• LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus
• HORSE by Geraldine Brooks
• DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver
• THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME by Laura Dave
• THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles
• THE MAID by Nita Prose
• REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt
• THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
• THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY by Matt Haig
• THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT by Maggie O'Farrell
• HANG THE MOON by Jeannette Walls
• THE MEASURE by Nikki Erlick
• THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY by Brendan Slocumb
• SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult
• HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano

ReadingGroupGuides.com’s 12th Annual Book Group
Speed Dating Event: Great Books for Book Groups

On May 12th, ReadingGroupGuides.com hosted its 12th Annual Book Group Speed Dating event for booksellers, librarians, book club leaders and bloggers. Ten small, medium and large-sized publishers shared their May through November 2023 recommendations for book groups --- more than 55 books perfect for discussing!

You can watch the entire presentation here. The video is timestamped, so if you want to jump ahead to a specific publisher, be sure to use the links below.

Hachette Book Group • Harlequin Trade Publishing • Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group • Random House Publishing Group • Simon & Schuster • Soho Press • Sourcebooks •
William Morrow • W. W. Norton • Zibby Books

If you would like to know more about these titles, here is a link to a page with a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation, as well as an Excel spreadsheet that lists the books both by publisher and alphabetically by title, along with a sheet to take notes.

Click here to watch our 12th Annual Book Group Speed Dating event.

Bookreporter.com Bets On:
YELLOWFACE, DROWNING,
BEWARE THE WOMAN and THE LIE MAKER

YELLOWFACE by R. F. Kuang (Fiction)
YELLOWFACE is the first book that I have read by R. F. Kuang (her first name is Rebecca). She has written award-winning fantasy titles, but this is a genre that I rarely dip into. The cover is arresting, and when it arrived at my house, I felt like those eyes were calling to me and saying, “I dare you to read me.” For those who love books about publishing, you have a current look at the world of publishing here. We get everything from the bestselling author to the writer who fears she never will write anything great again.

- 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 read more of Carol's commentary on YELLOWFACE.
 

DROWNING: The Rescue of Flight 1421 by T. J. Newman (Thriller)
T. J. Newman wrote a terrific debut novel, FALLING, a couple of years ago. She knows her stuff about airplanes and flying as she was a flight attendant for a number of years. Her new thriller, DROWNING, has a very similar cover, which I have not seen done before. But this time, the plane is not in danger of crashing. Instead Flight 1421 crashes very early in the book. Forget the drinks and the snacks. The flight crew here is in full crisis mode as the plane headed to San Francisco from Hawaii goes down a mere six minutes into the trip, and suddenly passengers have a view of the Pacific Ocean from below. The plane has been ditched.

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

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on DROWNING.
 

BEWARE THE WOMAN by Megan Abbott (Psychological Thriller)
Megan Abbott is a very sunny person. I want to share this as she writes books that often have such dark personalities in them. BEWARE THE WOMAN sees Jacy and her husband, Jed, on a trip to his father’s house in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which sounds quite idyllic. Jed is not like the other men she has dated. Kind and caring, he’s a neon artist, and her description of his work has me longing to explore it more. Jed’s father is a retired doctor, and he clearly is not enamored with his son's art. At first, Jacy has been told that Jed’s mother passed away when Jed was young. But she learns another story as the trip goes on. Oh, and to this cast of characters, add Mrs. Brandt, the house manager who lives at the cottage year round.

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

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on BEWARE THE WOMAN.
 

THE LIE MAKER by Linwood Barclay (Thriller)
It’s no secret to Bookreporter readers that Linwood Barclay is one of my favorite authors. With THE LIE MAKER, he has written what I think is his best book. I love the way that he introduces us to characters, and as we come to know them, we immediately start thinking, Hmmmm, how are these people all going to come together? Jack Givins had a crazy thing happen to him when he was young. His dad went into witness protection after years as a hitman for a group of “bad men,” and then he was a witness against them. But his soul is by no means clear. As he tells Jack, “I killed people,” and you just cannot say, “I’m sorry about that.” Jack’s mom opts not to leave, so Jack is ripped away from his dad. It’s a very sad goodbye that will plague him for years.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to visit Linwood Barclay's website.

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE LIE MAKER.

Bookreporter.com's 19th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature

Summer (officially) will be here before you know it! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through mid-August, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.

This year’s featured titles are:

• BANYAN MOON by Thao Thai
• THE BLOCK PARTY by Jamie Day
• CUTTING TEETH by Chandler Baker
• FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN by Viola Shipman
• THE FAVOR by Adele Griffin
• THE GIRLS OF SUMMER by Katie Bishop
• HER, TOO by Bonnie Kistler
• HOMECOMING by Kate Morton
• THE HOMEWRECKERS by Mary Kay Andrews
• THE HOUSE ON PRYTANIA: A Royal Street Novel by Karen White
• LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See
• THE LIE MAKER by Linwood Barclay
• MUSTIQUE ISLAND by Sarah McCoy
• PIECES OF BLUE by Holly Goldberg Sloan
• PROM MOM by Laura Lippman
• THE QUANTUM SOLUTION: An Evan Ryder Novel by Eric Van Lustbader
• WHAT REMAINS by Wendy Walker
• WINDFALL by Wendy Corsi Staub

Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.

From left to right: Ruth Ware, Luis Alberto Urrea, Beatriz Williams

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

Here are a number of upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.

Wednesday, June 21st at 7pm ET: Bank Square Books: Bank Square Books will present a virtual author talk and Q&A with authors Robyn Harding (THE DROWNING WOMAN) and Wendy Walker (WHAT REMAINS).

Wednesday, June 21st 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 Hazel Gaynor and Katherine Reay about their latest works of historical fiction: Hazel's THE LAST LIFEBOAT and Katherine's A SHADOW IN MOSCOW. Appearing on the Aftershow will be T.I. Lowe, whose new novel is INDIGO ISLE.

Thursday, June 22nd at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware for a live virtual discussion of her latest adrenaline-fueled thriller, ZERO DAYS, as part of the B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Ruth will be in conversation with #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child.

Thursday, June 22nd at 9pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Luis Alberto Urrea will talk about his latest novel, GOOD NIGHT, IRENE, which is this month's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. In the tradition of THE NIGHTINGALE and TRANSCRIPTION, this is a searing epic based on the magnificent and true story of courageous Red Cross women.

Tuesday, June 27th at 1pm ET: Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites: Lisa See will join members of the Simon & Schuster team to discuss her latest novel, LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN, which is June's pick for S&S's Book Club Favorites.

Wednesday, June 28th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Annabel Monaghan about her latest novel, SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER. Appearing on the Aftershow will be Mary Hollis Huddleston and Asher Fogle Paul, whose new book is PIECE OF CAKE.

Wednesday, June 28th at 8pm ET: A Special "Bookaccino Live" Evening Program: Carol Fitzgerald will present a number of titles releasing this summer that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months.

Wednesday, June 28th at 9pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: New York Times bestselling author Beatriz Williams will talk about her latest novel, THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY, a ravishing summer read that takes readers back to a mid-century New England rich with secrets and Cold War intrigue.

Thursday, June 29th at 7pm ET: Books & Books at the Studios: Books & Books at the Studios is excited to welcome author Carolyn Mackler virtually to the store as she discusses her debut adult novel, THE WIFE APP, with store co-founder and author Judy Blume.

"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:

• Nancy Horan (THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN) Video | Podcast
• Lisa See (LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Linwood Barclay (THE LIE MAKER) Video | Podcast
• Rachel Beanland (THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE) Video | Podcast
• Alice Elliott Dark (FELLOWSHIP POINT) Video | Podcast
• J.T. Ellison (IT'S ONE OF US) Video | Podcast
• Allegra Goodman (SAM) Video | Podcast
• Jane Harper (EXILES) Video | Podcast
• Sadeqa Johnson (THE HOUSE OF EVE) Video | Podcast
• William Kent Krueger (THE LEVEE) Video | Podcast
• William Landay (ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME) Video | Podcast
• Kate Morton (HOMECOMING) Video | Podcast
• Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo (THINGS I WISH I TOLD MY MOTHER)
  Video | Podcast
• Shelley Read (GO AS A RIVER) Video | Podcast
• Deborah Goodrich Royce (REEF ROAD) Video | Podcast
• Hank Phillippi Ryan (THE HOUSE GUEST) Video | Podcast
• Lisa Scottoline (LOYALTY) Video | Podcast

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:

BEWARE THE WOMAN by Megan Abbott (Psychological Thriller)
By the "master of thinly veiled secrets often kept by women who rage underneath their delicate exteriors" (Kirkus Reviews), BEWARE THE WOMAN is Megan Abbott at the height of her game.

CASSANDRA IN REVERSE by Holly Smale (Fiction)
This morning, Cassie's boyfriend dumped her. By lunchtime, she has been fired from her PR job for not being a "People Person." Then her local café runs out of her favorite muffins. But now, something unexpected has happened: Cassie discovers that she has the ability to travel back in time and change the past.

THE CELEBRANTS by Steven Rowley (Fiction)
The bestselling and beloved author of THE GUNCLE has written A Big Chill for our times, celebrating decades-long friendships and promises --- especially to ourselves.

CROW MARY by Kathleen Grissom (Historical Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of the book club classics THE KITCHEN HOUSE and GLORY OVER EVERYTHING returns with a sweeping saga inspired by the true story of Crow Mary --- an indigenous woman torn between two worlds in 19th-century North America.

FELLOWSHIP POINT by Alice Elliott Dark (Fiction)
FELLOWSHIP POINT is the masterful story of a lifelong friendship between two very different women with shared histories and buried secrets, tested in the twilight of their lives, set across the arc of the 20th century.

GOOD NIGHT, IRENE by Luis Alberto Urrea (Historical Fiction)
In the tradition of THE NIGHTINGALE and TRANSCRIPTION, GOOD NIGHT, IRENE is a searing epic based on the magnificent and true story of courageous Red Cross women.

LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See (Historical Fiction)
Perfect for fans of SNOWFLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN and THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN, this latest historical novel from New York Times bestselling author Lisa See is inspired by the true story of a female physician from 15th-century China.

NO TWO PERSONS by Erica Bauermeister (Fiction)
One book. Nine readers. Ten changed lives. New York Times bestselling author Erica Bauermeister’s NO TWO PERSONS is “a gloriously original celebration of fiction, and the ways it deepens our lives.” (Nina de Gramont, author of THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR)

THE PARIS DAUGHTER by Kristin Harmel (Historical Fiction)
From the bestselling author of THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES comes a gripping historical novel about two mothers who must make unthinkable choices in the face of the Nazi occupation.

PIECES OF BLUE by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Fiction)
From New York Times bestselling author Holly Goldberg Sloan comes a compelling and heartfelt novel for fans of Maria Semple and Emma Straub about a family trying to restore a ramshackle beachside motel --- and their own lives.

THE SPECTACULAR by Fiona Davis (Historical Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of THE MAGNOLIA PALACE comes a thrilling story about love, sacrifice and the pursuit of dreams, set amidst the glamour and glitz of Radio City Music Hall in its mid-century heyday.

TRUST by Hernan Diaz (Historical Fiction)
At once an immersive story and a brilliant literary puzzle, TRUST engages the reader in a quest for the truth while confronting the deceptions that often live at the heart of personal relationships, the reality-warping force of capital, and the ease with which power can manipulate facts.

THE WHISPERS by Ashley Audrain (Domestic Thriller)
From the author of THE PUSH comes a page-turner about four suburban families whose lives are changed when the unthinkable happens --- and what is lost when good people make unconscionable choices.

YELLOWFACE by R. F. Kuang (Fiction)
White lies. Dark humor. Deadly consequences. Bestselling sensation Juniper Song is not who she says she is, she didn’t write the book she claims she wrote, and she is most certainly not Asian American.

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

THE BODYGUARD by Katherine Center (Romantic Comedy)
She’s got his back. He’s got her heart. They’ve got a secret. What could go wrong? Katherine Center’s highly anticipated new novel is the feel-good, undeniably romantic, deliciously witty binge-read of the summer.

CARRIE SOTO IS BACK by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime --- from the New York Times bestselling author of MALIBU RISING,  DAISY JONES & THE SIX and THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO. 

COUNTERFEIT by Kirstin Chen (Fiction)
For fans of Hustlers and HOW TO GET FILTHY RICH IN RISING ASIA comes the story of two Asian American women who band together to grow a counterfeit handbag scheme into a global enterprise.

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.

TRACY FLICK CAN'T WIN by Tom Perrotta (Fiction)
Tracy Flick is back, and once again the iconic protagonist of Tom Perrotta’s ELECTION --- and Reese Witherspoon’s character from the classic movie adaptation --- is determined to take high school politics by storm.

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