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—Booklist

—Ind'Tale Magazine

—BookTrib

—Sarah Pekkanen, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of YOU ARE NOT ALONE

—Greer Macallister, bestselling author of THE MAGICIAN'S LIE and THE ARCTIC FURY

—May Cobb, author of THE HUNTING WIVES

March 31, 2021

I had a feeling that 2021 was going to be a great year for reading, and so far it has been. So many of the books that I have read have been perfect for book group discussions.

First up, we are featuring the discussion guide for Lisa Scottoline's debut historical novel, ETERNAL, a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that revolves around a love triangle that unfolds in the heart of Rome...in the creeping shadow of Fascism. We also share our rave Bookreporter review from Jana Siciliano, who says, “The characters are so beautifully fleshed out that you feel as if you are reading someone’s family memoir… Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro share a stage that is swift and ever-changing, which makes ETERNAL a truly outstanding work of historical fiction…. Scottoline should be congratulated for taking on such a despicable yet compelling topic and turning it into a searing, thoughtful and emotional story that will thrill her dedicated readers and newcomers alike.” Click here for my Bets On commentary and why I loved it too. I look forward to interviewing Lisa soon!

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Book Groups Comment on Listening to THE FOUR WINDS on Audio

Earlier this year, 30 book groups won the audio version of Kristin Hannah's latest #1 New York Times bestseller, THE FOUR WINDS, which was a "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club pick and a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. They were asked to listen to the audiobook, which is read by Julia Whelan, and answer some questions about their experience. We are happy to share their comments with you here. Many thanks to all who took the time to give us such wonderful feedback!

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Imbolo Mbue, author of How Beautiful We Were

Set in the fictional African village of Kosawa, HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE tells of a people living in fear amid environmental degradation wrought by an American oil company. Pipeline spills have rendered farmlands infertile. Children are dying from drinking toxic water. Promises of cleanup and financial reparations to the villagers are made --- and ignored. The country’s government, led by a brazen dictator, exists to serve its own interests. Left with few choices, the people of Kosawa decide to fight back. Their struggle will last for decades and come at a steep price.

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Patti Callahan Henry, author of Surviving Savannah

When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski, she's shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly's research leads her to the astounding history of a family of 11 who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah's society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions.

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