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My book group had our last meeting of the year on Monday night. It’s become a tradition that our final get-together of the year is an appetizers and dessert evening. We barely talk about who is bringing what in advance, so there is no rhyme or reason to the menu, except that we were discussing LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY by Brisa Carleton. Since the book is set at the American Bar in the Savoy Hotel, cocktails were in order.
Shannon took the theme seriously by bringing a Maple Cinnamon Bourbon Smash that was garnished with an apple slice and a sprig of thyme. I love that she went so far as to substitute apple whiskey for cinnamon whiskey and homemade cinnamon simple syrup for maple syrup. We clearly have a mixologist in our club! I made a mocktail with ginger cranberry soda (Trader Joe’s has a great one) and orange juice. Yes, the novel definitely inspired cocktail conversation, especially about the Hanky Panky. This is one of the cocktails created by Ada Coleman, the trailblazing bartender from the early 1900s who is a character in the book.
We loved LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY so much (Julia, who is a huge fan of World War II history, told us that it is her favorite book of the year) that we invited Brisa to join us next month to discuss it with us. We may need to have a cocktail that night, though many may be observing “dry January.”
Instead of assigning a book for January, we decided to read for pleasure and bring ideas about what we read to the next meeting to talk about after we speak with Brisa. That way, there is one less “task” going into the holiday. And we can think about a mocktail for dry January (Brisa has one in her book club kit) to sip on as we talk.
It’s been such a great year for reading. Read on to see how we are celebrating it!
Two BIG Year-End Contests You Will Want to Enter
This is your last Reading Group Guides newsletter reminder to enter our End-of-the-Year contest. By sharing your favorite book that you read with your group and your favorite book that you read outside your group this year, you will be eligible to win six titles releasing in 2026 that are perfect for book group discussions.
The prizes are DAUGHTER OF EGYPT by Marie Benedict, KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN by Sadeqa Johnson, KIN by Tayari Jones, SKYLARK by Paula McLain, STRANGERS: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden, and WHERE THE WILDFLOWERS GROW by Terah Shelton Harris.
To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, January 14th at noon ET. We will share our reader-compiled "Best Of" list with you in our first newsletter of 2026.
On Bookreporter, we’re awarding all 42(!) of my 2025 Bookreporter.com Bets On selections to the Grand Prize winner of our End-of-the-Year contest. Seven other winners will receive six of these titles.
Be sure to enter here by Monday, January 12th at noon ET. Scroll further down the newsletter for all the details.
If you would like to know more about these books, be sure to check out this video and podcast where I talk about each of my 42 picks and why I love them so much. A list of all of this year's Bets On titles can be found here.
One of the books you can win in our Bets On contest is THE HEIR APPARENT by Rebecca Armitage, which is Reese’s Book Club pick for December. This modern fairy tale is about a British princess who must decide between her duty to her family --- or to her own heart. Reese says that the book “has everything I love in a holiday read --- royals, romance, family twists, and a woman finding her own path.”
According to Norah Piehl in her review on Bookreporter, “Armitage's debut will give royal-mad readers much of what they're hoping for in a novel of the royal family... But at the same time, it acknowledges...the darker, more constricting side of royal life. There's also plenty of romance, as well as more than a few secrets that Armitage doles out like royal favors....” Click here for the full review and here for the discussion guide.
I enjoyed THE HEIR APPARENT immensely, so I am looking forward to talking to Rebecca about it. We will share my interview with her in the next newsletter.
An insanely competitive housing market. A desperate buyer on the edge. In Marisa Kashino’s debut novel, BEST OFFER WINS, the white picket fence becomes the ultimate symbol of success --- and obsession. How far would you go for the house of your dreams?
In her Bookreporter review, Norah Piehl has this to say about the book, which is this month’s #1 Indie Next pick and “Good Morning America” Book Club selection: “Narrated in her memorably self-deluded first-person voice, BEST OFFER WINS is remarkable for the ways in which Margo can be completely unlikable yet still gain readers' respect because she's astonishingly good at what she does…. Despite its darker moments, this is a thoroughly entertaining romp of a domestic thriller.” Click here for the full review and here for the guide.
We also have added guides for these four books:
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THE LAND IN WINTER: Shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize, Andrew Miller’s new novel is, according to our reviewer Philip Zozzaro in his Bookreporter review, “a transfixing and dramatic period piece that explores the lives of two disparate couples in England.”
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CANTICLE: Grounded in the little-told stories of medieval women --- mystics, saints, anchoresses and beguines --- Janet Rich Edwards’ debut novel follows a spirited young lady’s explorations of faith, agency and love in 13th-century Bruges.
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THE PERFECT HOSTS: A couple’s gender reveal party turns deadly, and everyone is a suspect, in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of THE OVERNIGHT GUEST, Heather Gudenkauf.
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THE EYE OF GOD: Aeternus Costin blends autobiography, metaphysical inquiry, history and scientific reasoning to argue that Gravity itself is the true, non-supernatural “God” --- a transcendent, immanent, eternal and immutable force.
Jenna Bush Hager has chosen Jane Austen’s classic, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, as this month’s “Read with Jenna” Book Club pick.
Jenna says, “My grandmother, Barbara, was the one who introduced me to Jane Austen. I'll never forget it. We listened to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE on tape, because yes, listening to books is reading. It was in her bedroom and I would come in every afternoon that I was staying with her in Maine. We would read it and then we'd watch the whole PBS miniseries.” She adds, “I love that Jane Austen was one of the first to teach me about romantic love, what it means to be a woman.” Click here for the guide.
For more December selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here. Please note that there are no Barnes & Noble, Oprah or Target picks this month.
My last “Bookreporter Talks To” interview of 2025 is with Vicky Nguyen. Her memoir, BOAT BABY, is a Bets On pick that revolves around her experience as a Vietnamese refugee who came to America as an eight-month-old "boat baby" in 1979.
Vicky talks about the challenges of growing up as a child of immigrants, navigating cultural differences, and her path to becoming an NBC News correspondent. The interview includes honest conversation about multi-generational living, parenting approaches across cultures, and the importance of maintaining immigrant values while assimilating. Vicky emphasizes how her parents' work ethic, optimism and risk-taking shaped her career and personal life.
Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast. And be sure to check out this segment on the “Today” show, where Vicky and her family met up with the couple from Eugene, Oregon, who sponsored them when they came to America.
First row: Carol Fitzgerald, Tom Donadio, Rebecca Munro, Pamela Kramer
Second row: Bronwyn Miller, Stuart Shiffman, Harvey Freedenberg, Norah Piehl
Third row: Megan Elliott, Sarah Rachel Egelman
Last Wednesday evening, we hosted our year-end “Bookaccino Live” event featuring eight Bookreporter reviewers: Sarah Rachel Egelman, Megan Elliott, Harvey Freedenberg, Pamela Kramer, Bronwyn Miller, Rebecca Munro, Norah Piehl and Stuart Shiffman. Each talked about two of their favorite books of 2025.
Kate Ayers and Ray Palen, who have appeared on previous programs, were not able to join us live. But we showed Ray’s presentation on video, and we shared Kate’s picks, along with brief excerpts from her reviews of those books.
Click here to watch the event or here to listen to the podcast. A list of the featured titles, along with their covers, can be found here. We loved hearing about the books that especially resonated with these reviewers. Their enthusiasm showed in their presentations, all of which were fabulous!
Pictured above is me with our Editorial Director, Tom Donadio, and our reviewers as we appeared on Zoom “Brady Bunch”-style.
You can check out more 2025 faves from these reviewers and many others in Bookreporter's annual Reviewer Picks feature. See which of their fiction and nonfiction selections you agree or disagree with --- and which titles you may want to add to your 2026 reading lists or discuss with your group.
Our 25th Anniversary Contest Winners
Congratulations to the winners of our 25th Anniversary Contest! Kathy V. from Green Valley, AZ won 25 of the most discussed books spanning each year since Reading Group Guides launched in 2000. Those titles are pictured above and can be found here.
Five other readers were awarded five of these books:
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April P. from Las Vegas, NV
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Cindy R. from Aventura, FL
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Jacque M. from Dover, NH
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Karen F. from Milton, WI
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Tracy B. from East Amherst, NY
Our 2025 Book Group Survey Winners
Many thanks to all who completed our 2025 Book Group Survey! The results have been so helpful in finding out more about book groups and your meetings.
And congratulations to our survey winners! Meredith C. from Falmouth, ME won a $250 gift card to the bookstore of her choice.
These three readers received a $50 gift card to the bookstore of their choice:
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Daniel S. from Greenville, SC
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Elizabeth G. from San Diego, CA
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Pamela K. from Saginaw, MI
Our first “Bookaccino Live” book preview event of 2026 will take place on Wednesday, January 14th at 2pm ET. I will present books releasing between January 13th and February 3rd, as well as some March titles, 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.
Just one week later, join us for a special “Bookaccino Live” Winter Preview evening program on Wednesday, January 21st at 8pm ET. I will talk about a number of books being published this winter that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction. You can sign up for the event by clicking here.
Authors Blog About Their Favorite Bookish Holiday Memories
Bookreporter’s Holiday Author Blog series returned for an 18th consecutive year. Seven authors shared with us their memories of giving or receiving books during the holidays: Davis Bunn (A SEA GLASS CHRISTMAS), the aforementioned Brisa Carleton (LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY), Sarah Damoff (THE BRIGHT YEARS), Jan Cress Dondi (THE NAVIGATOR’S LETTER), Robert Dugoni (HER COLD JUSTICE), the aforementioned Terah Shelton Harris (WHERE THE WILDFLOWERS GROW), and Thrity Umrigar (MISSING SAM). Many thanks to this year’s participants for their funny, heartwarming and emotional pieces!
Books You Want to Wrap and Unwrap...and Give and Get
If you have some last-minute holiday shopping to do, may we suggest that you take a look at Bookreporter's Holiday Cheer feature and “What to Give, What to Get” Guide? You will find books here that are perfect for holiday giving and getting --- and you may even want to include a few of these titles on your "to me/from me" list.
One thing we want to do in 2026 is to expand our reader base. You can help with that. Please share this newsletter with members of your group and suggest that they sign up for it. There is a lot for them to read and enjoy in this issue.
We will be back in your inboxes in mid-January. Until then, please enjoy the holidays, and here’s to a brilliant New Year. We raise a glass to celebrate you!
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site 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 various features on our site, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
Special Contest: Share Your Favorite Books of 2025
and Enter to Win SIX Outstanding Book Group Titles Releasing in 2026!
This is the time of year when we start seeing “Best Books of the Year” lists. We would like you and your book group to help us compile ours by entering our special End-of-the-Year Contest!
All you have to do is fill out this form, sharing both your favorite book that you discussed with your group and your favorite book that you read outside your group in 2025, by Wednesday, January 14th at noon ET.
One Grand Prize winner will be awarded SIX fabulous book group titles releasing in 2026:
Please note: Your favorite book that you discussed with your group CAN be the same as your favorite book that you read outside your group. And they don't need to have been published in 2025.
We will share our reader-compiled "Best Of" list with you shortly after the contest ends. We cannot wait to see what you select!
Click here to enter the contest.
New Guide: THE HEIR APPARENT by Rebecca Armitage
Reese’s Book Club Pick for December
and a Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE HEIR APPARENT by Rebecca Armitage (Fiction)
It’s New Year’s Day in Australia, and the life Lexi Villiers has carefully built is working out nicely. She’s in the second year of her medical residency, she lives on a beautiful farm with her two best friends, Finn and Jack, and she’s about to finally become more than friendly with Jack --- when a helicopter abruptly lands. Out steps her grandmother’s right-hand man, with the tragic news that her father and older brother have been killed in a skiing accident. Lexi’s grandmother happens to be the Queen of England, and Lexi must now accept the reality that she is suddenly next in line for the throne --- a role she has publicly disavowed. Returning to London as the heir apparent Princess Alexandrina, Lexi is greeted by a skeptical public not ready to forgive her defection, a grieving sister-in-law harboring an explosive secret, and a scheming uncle determined to claim the throne himself.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's Reese's Book Club pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Don't miss Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview
with Rebecca Armitage in the next newsletter.
New Guide: BEST OFFER WINS by Marisa Kashino
December’s #1 Indie Next Pick
and “Good Morning America” Book Club Selection
BEST OFFER WINS by Marisa Kashino (Domestic Thriller/Dark Humor)
Eighteen months and 11 lost bidding wars into house-hunting in the overheated Washington, DC suburbs, 37-year-old publicist Margo Miyake gets a tip about the perfect house, in the perfect neighborhood, slated to come up for sale in one month. Desperate to escape the cramped apartment she shares with her husband, Ian, Margo becomes obsessed with buying the house before it’s publicly listed and the masses descend. A little stalking? Harmless. A bit of trespassing? Necessary. As Margo infiltrates the homeowners’ lives, her tactics grow increasingly unhinged. But just when she thinks she’s won them over, she hits a snag in her plan. Undeterred, Margo will prove again and again that there’s no boundary she won’t cross to seize the dream life she’s been chasing.
- 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 this month's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Special Contest on Bookreporter.com:
Enter to Win Our End-of-the-Year Celebration,
Featuring All 42 "Bets On" Titles from 2025
We are thrilled to announce our End-of-the-Year contest featuring Carol Fitzgerald's Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2025. One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 42 books, while seven other readers will receive six of these titles.
To enter, all you have to do is fill out this form by Monday, January 12th at noon ET. Please enter only once. All duplicate entries will be deleted.
Here are this year's Bets On selections:
Our Year-End Video and Podcast!
In this video and podcast, Carol talks about all 42 of her 2025 Bets On selections and
why these books resonated with her so much. A list of this year's Bets On titles can be found here.
Click here to enter the contest.
New Guide: THE LAND IN WINTER by Andrew Miller
THE LAND IN WINTER by Andrew Miller (Historical Fiction)
December 1962: In a village deep in the English countryside, two neighboring couples begin the day. Local doctor Eric Parry commences his rounds in the village, while his pregnant wife, Irene, wanders the rooms of their old house, mulling over the space that has grown between the two of them. On the farm nearby lives witty but troubled Rita Simmons, who is also expecting. She spends her days trying on the idea of being a farmer’s wife, but her head still swims with images of a raucous past that her husband, Bill, prefers to forget. When Rita and Irene meet across the bare field between their houses, a clock starts. When the ordinary cold of December gives way --- ushering in violent blizzards of the harshest winter in living memory --- so do the secret resentments harbored in all four lives.
- 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: CANTICLE by Janet Rich Edwards
CANTICLE by Janet Rich Edwards (Historical Fiction)
Aleys is 16 years old and prone to religious visions. She and her only friend, Finn, have been learning Latin together in secret. But just as she thinks their connection might become something more, everything unravels. When her father promises her in marriage to a merchant she doesn’t love, she runs away from home, finding shelter among the beguines, a fiercely independent community of religious women who refuse to answer to the Church. Among these hardworking and strong-willed women, Aleys glimpses for the first time the joys of belonging. But forces both mystical and political are at work. Illegal translations of scripture, the women’s independence, and a sudden rash of miracles all draw the attention of an ambitious bishop --- and bring Aleys and those around her into ever-increasing danger.
- 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: THE PERFECT HOSTS by Heather Gudenkauf
THE PERFECT HOSTS by Heather Gudenkauf (Domestic Thriller)
Madeline and Wes Drake have invited 200 of their closest friends and family to their sprawling horse ranch for the most anticipated event of the year: a “pistols and pearls” gender reveal party so sensational it is sure to make headlines. But the party descends into chaos when the celebratory explosive misfires, leaving one woman dead and a trail of secrets. As the aftershocks of the bloody party ripple across the small town, Agent Jamie Saldano is brought on the scene to investigate. Battling his own demons from the past, Saldano unearths a web of deceit spun around the Drakes. The appearance of some unexpected houseguests only deepens the mystery. And as tensions mount, it becomes clear that the explosion wasn’t just an unlucky accident. But who was the target, and why?
- 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: THE EYE OF GOD by Aeternus Costin
THE EYE OF GOD by Aeternus Costin (Memoir/Metaphysics)
Born and raised in the heart of America's Bible Belt, Aeternus Costin's upbringing among devout Southern Baptists set the stage for a lifetime of spiritual exploration and philosophical inquiry. From beginning to question his faith as a youth, to staunch atheism catalyzed by a deepening fascination with science and technology, Costin's voracious appetite for knowledge led him down the rabbit hole of scientific discovery. Until one day, in a transformative moment during an ordinary drive, everything changed. A chance encounter with a podcast on philosophy sparked an epiphany that shattered the author’s atheistic convictions. This revelation transcended conventional beliefs and ignited a quest for understanding that would define the next chapter of his life.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read critical praise.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Our Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for December
Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads. We also feature a number of other prominent selections, including the Barnes & Noble Book Club, the "Good Morning America" Book Club, Oprah’s Book Club, the PBS Books Readers Club, the "Read with Jenna" Book Club, Reese's Book Club, and the Target Book Club.
Below is a preview of December'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.
Please note: There are no Barnes & Noble, Oprah or Target picks this month.
Indie Next
#1 Pick: BEST OFFER WINS by Marisa Kashino
FAMILY OF SPIES: A World War II Story of Nazi Espionage, Betrayal, and the Secret History Behind Pearl Harbor, by Christine Kuehn
VIOLET THISTLEWAITE IS NOT A VILLAIN ANYMORE by Emily Krempholtz
EVERY DAY I READ: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books written by Hwang Bo-reum, translated by Shanna Tan
I, MEDUSA by Ayana Gray
LibraryReads
Top Pick: THE GALLAGHER PLACE by Julie Doar
EVERY DAY I READ: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books written by Hwang Bo-reum, translated by Shanna Tan
EVERYONE IN THE GROUP CHAT DIES by L.M. Chilton
AN ARCANE INHERITANCE by Kamilah Cole
A GRIM REAPER'S GUIDE TO CHEATING DEATH: A SCYTHE Mystery, by Maxie Dara
"Good Morning America" Book Club
BEST OFFER WINS by Marisa Kashino
PBS Books Readers Club
PBS Books Readers Club celebrates the wrap of its second season with a highlight of their favorite author moments and books from 2025. Click here to watch the program.
"Read with Jenna" Book Club
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen
Reese's Book Club
THE HEIR APPARENT by Rebecca Armitage
Click here for December's Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks.
New December Releases of Interest to Book Groups
Here are six books releasing in December 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.
THE AWARD by Matthew Pearl (Psychological Thriller)
The author of SAVE OUR SOULS and THE DANTE CLUB makes his eagerly awaited return to fiction with this irreverent and propulsive novel about a young writer trying to make his way through a cutthroat literary scene that turns deadly.
THE BIRDWATCHER by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Mystery)
From New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard comes a page-turning drama that explores the beauty of female friendship; the relationship between money, power and sex, and the very human desire to protect the ones we love most.
EVERYONE IN THE GROUP CHAT DIES by L.M. Chilton (Mystery & Thriller/Humor)
This compulsively readable, surprisingly funny and genuinely thrilling page-turner is about a TikTok true crime investigator, a ’90s serial killer who may not be as dead as everyone would like, a text thread from hell, and long-buried secrets that just won’t stay in the grave where they belong.
THE GALLAGHER PLACE by Julie Doar (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
This chilling debut set in New York’s Dutchess County is a layered exploration of family secrets, sibling misconceptions and an unsolved murder.
THE REST OF OUR LIVES by Ben Markovits (Fiction)
THE REST OF OUR LIVES is a triumphantly life-affirming road trip novel about marriage, middle age, and a man at a crossroads in his life.
THE TIME HOP COFFEE SHOP by Phaedra Patrick (Fiction/Magical Realism)
Welcome to the Time Hop Coffee Shop, where wishes can come true. Evie Woods, the New York Times bestselling author of THE LOST BOOKSHOP, calls the book “[a] delightful tale, full of heart.”
ReadingGroupGuides.com’s 14 ½ Annual Book Group
Speed Dating Event: Great Books for Book Groups
Bookreporter.com Bets On: BOAT BABY by Vicky Nguyen
BOAT BABY: A Memoir by Vicky Nguyen (Memoir)
I have read many memoirs and books about the immigrant experience, but migration from Vietnam to the United States is a trail that I had not explored until BOAT BABY. Vicky Nguyen was just eight months old when her family left communist Vietnam by boat for a refugee camp in Malaysia. In the photo on the front of the book, she is about 18 months old. She learned to walk as her family was in the camp waiting for their next steps. They were sponsored by an organization in Eugene, Oregon, and moved there as their first stop in the U.S.
Vicky shares how she worked to assimilate into the culture in the States. Her parents were learning English and adapting to their new way of life, starting businesses and providing her home and safety. Vicky was in a quick-study class of American culture. She was observing what others were doing and how she would be able to fit in. She read books that would give her insight into what American kids did. Judy Blume and others were her guides.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Vicky Nguyen.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's Bets On commentary.
Bookreporter.com's 18th Annual Holiday Author Blogs:
Authors Write About Their Favorite Holiday Memories
of Giving or Receiving Books
Bookreporter.com's Holiday Author Blogs have returned for an 18th consecutive year! Seven authors shared with us some wonderful memories about giving or receiving books during the holidays.
As always, we appreciate all the authors who took the time to participate in this annual feature. It is one of our favorite holiday traditions. May you enjoy them too!
Click here to read Bookreporter.com's 2025 Holiday Author Blogs.
Bookreporter.com's 20th Annual Holiday Cheer Feature:
Books You Want to Wrap and Unwrap
At Bookreporter.com, we've been celebrating the holiday season in style with our Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature. As our gift to you, we've been spotlighting a book and giving five lucky readers a chance to win it. Congratulations to all the winners!
Although the contests have ended, we encourage you to take a look at this year's featured titles. These are books you'll want to read during the holidays --- and throughout the new year as well!
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to see our Holiday Cheer feature.
Bookreporter.com’s “What to Give, What to Get” Guide: “Reader Perfect” Suggestions
for Holiday Giving and Getting
We at Bookreporter.com know that readers crave ideas for gift-giving --- and getting --- at the holidays. With this in mind, we are offering a "What to Give, What to Get" Guide with four "Reader Perfect" suggestions.
BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL by V. E. Schwab (Historical Fantasy)
The bestselling author of THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LaRUE has written a genre-defying, generations-spanning novel of vampires, sapphism and hunger --- for blood, for life and, above all, for freedom.
GIRL DINNER by Olivie Blake (Horror/Dark Humor)
Good girls deserve a treat. From the New York Times bestselling author of THE ATLAS SIX comes a darkly fun novel about power, lust and eating your fill, as wealthy moms and sorority girls practice a sinister new wellness trend.
GIRL LOST by Kate Angelo (Romantic Suspense)
Officer Luna Rosati and Special Agent Corbin King are at odds over their failed teenage romance, but they reunite on a mission and must put their past aside. When they encounter a kidnapping, missing bodies and a murder, the secrets Corbin and Luna keep from one another are only the beginning of the threats they face.
THE SANDS OF SEA BLUE BEACH by Rachel Hauck (Romance)
Can anything rekindle the summer love between former sweethearts facing old wounds and a divided town? This poignant tale of second chances and the enduring power of love includes themes of small-town romance, dual-time storytelling and complex family dynamics.
Click here to see our "What to Give, What to Get" Guide.
From left to right: Laura Dave, Robert Dugoni, Amy Pease
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are 10 upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Sunday, January 4th at 6pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Brad Meltzer will talk about the third installment in his Zig & Nola series, THE VIPER, which unravels a shocking cold case with a personal --- and deadly --- twist.
Monday, January 5th at 9pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: S. J. Rozan will talk about the latest entry in her groundbreaking mystery series, FIRST DO NO HARM. Lydia Chin and Bill Smith face a dangerous task: they must unlock a hospital's many secrets in order to save an innocent man.
Tuesday, January 6th at 3pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Laura Dave will talk to special guest host Riley Sager about her new novel, THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM, which continues Hannah Hall’s pulse-pounding journey in this riveting and deeply moving sequel to THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME.
Tuesday, January 6th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: In a special preview event before the book's official publication on January 27th, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child will talk about PENDERGAST: THE BEGINNING, which is all about Agent Pendergast's origin story.
Tuesday, January 6th at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda will talk to John Marrs about his latest thriller, DEAD IN THE WATER, a chilling tale about life flashing before your eyes --- including terrifying scenes you don’t remember.
Wednesday, January 7th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Brad Meltzer about his new Zig & Nola thriller, THE VIPER. As a relentless killer closes in, Nola uncovers a sinister plot that gets very personal --- and deadly --- quickly.
Wednesday, January 7th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Robert Dugoni will talk about his riveting new novel of suspense, HER COLD JUSTICE. To save a client accused of murder, defense attorney Keera Duggan must fight a complex web of corruption.
Thursday, January 8th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Amy Pease will talk about her new book, WILDWOOD, in which a mother-son law enforcement team confront buried secrets in their small town as they work to expose a conspiracy that goes far beyond the tight-knit community.
Wednesday, January 14th at 2pm ET: “Bookaccino Live” Book Preview Afternoon Event: Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between January 13th and February 3rd, along with a few from March, that we would like to get on your radar. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction.
Wednesday, January 14th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Jennie Godfrey for a live virtual discussion of THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Jennie will be in conversation with the New York Times bestselling author of ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, Chris Whitaker.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers long-form, in-depth author interviews. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here is our latest interview:
Other authors we've interviewed recently include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Rebecca Armitage (THE HEIR APPARENT)
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Belle Burden (STRANGERS: A Memoir of Marriage)
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Paula Hawkins (SKYLARK)
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"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
BEST OFFER WINS by Marisa Kashino (Domestic Thriller/Dark Humor)
Dark, biting and laugh-out-loud funny, BEST OFFER WINS is a propulsive debut and a razor-sharp exploration of class, ambition and the modern housing crisis.
CANTICLE by Janet Rich Edwards (Historical Fiction)
CANTICLE is a masterful debut novel following a spirited young woman’s explorations of faith, agency and love in 13th-century Bruges.
CURSED DAUGHTERS by Oyinkan Braithwaite (Fiction)
A young woman must shake off a family curse and the widely held belief that she is the reincarnation of her dead cousin in this wickedly funny, brilliantly perceptive novel about love, female rivalry and superstition.
THE EYE OF GOD by Aeternus Costin (Memoir/Metaphysics)
THE EYE OF GOD is a bold, accessible exploration arguing that Gravity fulfills the classical attributes of God, blending science, philosophy and personal transformation in a provocative reimagining of divinity.
THE HEIR APPARENT by Rebecca Armitage (Fiction)
THE HEIR APPARENT is an irresistible modern fairy tale about a British princess who must decide between her duty to her family --- or to her own heart,.
THE LAND IN WINTER by Andrew Miller (Historical Fiction)
An exquisite, page-turning examination of relationships, THE LAND IN WINTER is a master class in storytelling --- proof yet again that Andrew Miller is one of the most dazzling chroniclers of the human heart.
LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY by Brisa Carleton (Historical Fiction)
Set amongst the glittering backdrop of London's iconic Savoy hotel, a young woman is forced to confront her troubled past as she uncovers the story of the hotel’s first female bartender who has been erased from the history books.
LIKE FAMILY by Erin O. White (Fiction)
After a near-stranger dies in their small town, a tight-knit group of friends can no longer ignore their long-dormant desires and unfulfilled dreams in this moving debut about the complicated joys of chosen family.
MONA'S EYES written by Thomas Schlesser, translated by Hildegarde Serle (Fiction)
Ten-year-old Mona and her beloved grandfather have only 52 Wednesdays to visit 52 works of art and commit to memory "all that is beautiful in the world" before Mona loses her sight forever.
THE PERFECT HOSTS by Heather Gudenkauf (Domestic Thriller)
A couple’s gender reveal party turns deadly, and everyone is a suspect, in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of THE OVERNIGHT GUEST.
QUEEN ESTHER by John Irving (Historical Fiction)
After 40 years, John Irving returns to the world of his bestselling classic novel and Academy Award–winning film, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, revisiting the orphanage in St. Cloud’s, Maine, where Dr. Wilbur Larch takes in Esther --- a Viennese-born Jew whose life is shaped by antisemitism.
SOME BRIGHT NOWHERE by Ann Packer (Fiction)
Bestselling, beloved author Ann Packer returns with her first novel in over a decade, an intimate and profoundly moving look at a long marriage and the ways in which a startling request can change a couple’s understanding of who they are, together and apart.
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
HOMESEEKING by Karissa Chen (Romance)
From WWII to 2008, this deeply moving story follows one couple across 60 years as world events pull them together and apart, illuminating the Chinese diaspora and exploring what it means to find home far from your homeland.
ISOLA by Allegra Goodman (Historical Fiction)
A young woman and her lover are marooned on an island in this epic saga of love, faith and defiance from the bestselling author of SAM.
ONE GOOD THING by Georgia Hunter (Historical Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES comes an unforgettable story of hardship and hope, courage and resilience, that follows one young woman’s journey through war-torn Italy.
PRIVATE RITES by Julia Armfield (Fiction)
From the award-winning author of OUR WIVES UNDER THE SEA comes a speculative reimagining of King Lear, centering on three sisters navigating queer love and loss in a drowning world.
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