This month has rushed past and I have too many titles left to talk about. What to do....what to do.... Well, some could be left over for next month as December is sometimes a slow month in publishing. In this post, however, I will try to cover as many as possible.
Cookbooks - November is a popular month for cookbooks as everyone gets ready for the holidays. There are several which are coming out at the end of October - November that will be in demand.
Giada De Laurentiis gives us Giada's Feel Good Food on November 5th. This will probably give us recipes for those days in between the holidays since it's suppose to cover healthy recipes.
Ree Drummond comes out with The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Holidays! on October 29th.
Emeril Lagasse gives us Emeril's Cooking with Power on October 22nd. This one has a lot of slow cooker recipes.
On to a more religious series:
On November 12th, A Prayer Journal is being published. This is a recently discovered devotional journal by Flannery O'Connor. She kept this journal while she was at the Iowa Writers' Workshop from 1946-47.
On November 19th, Timothy Keller, the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, publishes Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life's Biggest Questions.. Keller's work has been popular in the past.
One more nonfiction work which has been getting a lot of interest is Wil S. Hylton's Vanished: The Sixty-Year Search for the Missing Men of World War II. More than 56,000 men are still missing from WWII. I had no idea. This title highlights the search of the crew of one American bomber lost on September 1, 1944.
While we are on the subject of war, Anita Shreve's new title, Stella Bain, comes out on November 12th. An American woman is found shell-shocked in a garden and is taken in by a family. She had been a nurse's aide at the front but has no memory whatever of anything before being wounded.
Some perennial bestselling authors with titles coming in November are:
Mitch Albom with The First Phone Call From Heaven on November 12th. People in Coldwater Michigan are receiving calls from their dearly departed. Sully Harding who has been imprisoned for a crime he might not have committed is worried about his young son who starts carrying around a cellphone hoping his deceased mother will call.
David Baldacci with King and Maxwell on November 19th. The sixth book in the series that the television series is based on.
Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston with White Fire on November 12th. Confusing plot line for me but one of the noted things is it's literary references. Apparently, Arthur Conan Doyle and Oscar Wilde meet up in the book and in contemporary times, a new Sherlock Holmes story has been discovered (this was written by Child and Preston.)
OK - I am going to save some of these for next week. Enjoy reading!!!!
Friday, September 27, 2013
Friday, September 20, 2013
The Longlist for the National Book Award - Fiction
Yesterday, the National Book Award Committee posted the long list of nominees for the Fiction Book Award. All titles are or will be available at the library. Take a look and see if any of them appeal to you.
Thomas Pynchon's title Bleeding Edge. This takes place in the early 2000 in New York. After the dot.com bust and in the beginning of the Internet rush. In many ways you could call this a crime thriller. But then again, it is Thomas Pynchon.
George Saunders's The Tenth of December. This title has been out for a while. It is a series of short stories that the New York Times reviewer called "the best book you will read this year."
Jhunpa Lahiri's The Lowland. I've discussed this one the last two weeks. It seems to be making every award nomination list. She qualified for the Mann Booker because she was born in England but she moved to the USA when she was two years old so she qualifies for the National Book Award too. The story of two brothers born in India.
Alice McDermott's Someone. This one has also been out for a while. It is the story of a woman's life from childhood to old age. What McDermott does well is create the characterization of an entire life in vignettes.
James McBride's The Good Lord Bird. A more recent publication that follows the tale of a young male slave who leaves town with John Brown disguised as a girl.
Rachel Kushner's The Flame Throwers. This title has some exceptionally strong reviews and some not very good reviews. It follows 'Reno', a young female artist who goes to New York in the 1970's to demonstrate her combination of speed, motorcycles and art.
Elizabeth Graver's The End of the Point. A family saga that takes place in Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts during the events of the 1970's.
Anthony Marra's A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. A very dark and beautifully written tale of the effects of war on Chechnya and the people who live there.
Joan Silver's Fools. These are interconnected tales relating to winners and losers and how everyone is foolish at some time.
Finally, Tom Drury's Pacific. The story of a brother and sister. One goes to Los Angels to live with the mother who abandoned them and the other stays in the Midwest. Both are restless and both fight their fears.
See if you can pick the winner.
Thomas Pynchon's title Bleeding Edge. This takes place in the early 2000 in New York. After the dot.com bust and in the beginning of the Internet rush. In many ways you could call this a crime thriller. But then again, it is Thomas Pynchon.
George Saunders's The Tenth of December. This title has been out for a while. It is a series of short stories that the New York Times reviewer called "the best book you will read this year."
Jhunpa Lahiri's The Lowland. I've discussed this one the last two weeks. It seems to be making every award nomination list. She qualified for the Mann Booker because she was born in England but she moved to the USA when she was two years old so she qualifies for the National Book Award too. The story of two brothers born in India.
Alice McDermott's Someone. This one has also been out for a while. It is the story of a woman's life from childhood to old age. What McDermott does well is create the characterization of an entire life in vignettes.
James McBride's The Good Lord Bird. A more recent publication that follows the tale of a young male slave who leaves town with John Brown disguised as a girl.
Rachel Kushner's The Flame Throwers. This title has some exceptionally strong reviews and some not very good reviews. It follows 'Reno', a young female artist who goes to New York in the 1970's to demonstrate her combination of speed, motorcycles and art.
Elizabeth Graver's The End of the Point. A family saga that takes place in Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts during the events of the 1970's.
Anthony Marra's A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. A very dark and beautifully written tale of the effects of war on Chechnya and the people who live there.
Joan Silver's Fools. These are interconnected tales relating to winners and losers and how everyone is foolish at some time.
Finally, Tom Drury's Pacific. The story of a brother and sister. One goes to Los Angels to live with the mother who abandoned them and the other stays in the Midwest. Both are restless and both fight their fears.
See if you can pick the winner.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
LibraryReads for October
It's that time of month again and the second LibraryReads list is out. There are actually only 2 or 3 titles on it this month that I am excited about but obviously, all librarians do not have the same taste. These are books that come out at the end of September or in October. All will be available at the library. The number one vote magnet this month is The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. A brilliant scientist thinks the only way to find a woman is by having her fill out his six page, double sided questionnaire. A barmaid tries to get him to loosen up and the adventure begins. A real feel good story.
The remaining top 10 are listed below:
Longbourn by Jo Baker is a look at Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice from the servant's side of life. People who loved Pride and Prejudice have loved this and those who didn't love Pride and Prejudice have loved it too. It's romance and mystery and alot of hard work on the part of the major characters. You get a new vision of what life was like then.
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. This was one of USA Today's Cool Books for fall also. This story of two brothers from India - one who comes to the United States and prospers and one who stays in India and becomes a revolutionary. Really well written and highly reviewed. Could become THE book for book clubs.
Cartwheel by Jennifer duBois. This is the story of an American exchange student, Lily Hayes, studying in Buenos Aires. She becomes the prime suspect when her roommate, another American, ends up dead. The author lets us view Lily Hayes through the eyes of those who love her and the eyes of those who believe she is a murderer. Who is Lily Hayes?
Hawthorn&Child by Keith Ridgway. Even though this is a story of two London policeman, is is not a mystery. You are dropped in a series of events, no explanations, no big crime to solve. It is more a story of how people don't really understand themselves. Very very dark in spots.
We Are Water by Wally Lamb. Lamb is an Oprah favorite. This is the story of a middle aged artist, wife and mother who after 27 years of marriage decides to divorce and marry a female New York art dealer. It really delves into the reactions of her husband and children.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt also mentioned as one of USA Today's Cool Books for fall. A 13 year old boy survives abandonment by his dead mother and wandering father by submerging himself into art.
The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennell. Tom Franklin wrote the very popular Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter and Beth Ann Fennell is his wife and an award winning poet. This title is the story of murder and moonshine during the historic Mississippi River flood of 1927. With two such authors, how could this not be a great read.
Now, 2 nonfiction titles. One was a surprise for me.
The Stop: How the Fight for Good Food Transformed a Community and Inspired a Movement by Nick Saul and Andrea Curtis. The Stop is a community food center in Toronto, Ontario and Saul was it's director. This is the story about the effort to change his own neighborhood.
Hunting Season: Immigration and Murder in an All-American Town by Mirta Ojito. A former NY Times reporter discusses the events that lead up to the 2008 murder of an undocumented Ecuadorian immigrant on Long Island by a group of teenagers.
Certainly there must be one or two that catch your interest in this months LibraryReads list.
The remaining top 10 are listed below:
Longbourn by Jo Baker is a look at Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice from the servant's side of life. People who loved Pride and Prejudice have loved this and those who didn't love Pride and Prejudice have loved it too. It's romance and mystery and alot of hard work on the part of the major characters. You get a new vision of what life was like then.
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. This was one of USA Today's Cool Books for fall also. This story of two brothers from India - one who comes to the United States and prospers and one who stays in India and becomes a revolutionary. Really well written and highly reviewed. Could become THE book for book clubs.
Cartwheel by Jennifer duBois. This is the story of an American exchange student, Lily Hayes, studying in Buenos Aires. She becomes the prime suspect when her roommate, another American, ends up dead. The author lets us view Lily Hayes through the eyes of those who love her and the eyes of those who believe she is a murderer. Who is Lily Hayes?
Hawthorn&Child by Keith Ridgway. Even though this is a story of two London policeman, is is not a mystery. You are dropped in a series of events, no explanations, no big crime to solve. It is more a story of how people don't really understand themselves. Very very dark in spots.
We Are Water by Wally Lamb. Lamb is an Oprah favorite. This is the story of a middle aged artist, wife and mother who after 27 years of marriage decides to divorce and marry a female New York art dealer. It really delves into the reactions of her husband and children.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt also mentioned as one of USA Today's Cool Books for fall. A 13 year old boy survives abandonment by his dead mother and wandering father by submerging himself into art.
The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennell. Tom Franklin wrote the very popular Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter and Beth Ann Fennell is his wife and an award winning poet. This title is the story of murder and moonshine during the historic Mississippi River flood of 1927. With two such authors, how could this not be a great read.
Now, 2 nonfiction titles. One was a surprise for me.
The Stop: How the Fight for Good Food Transformed a Community and Inspired a Movement by Nick Saul and Andrea Curtis. The Stop is a community food center in Toronto, Ontario and Saul was it's director. This is the story about the effort to change his own neighborhood.
Hunting Season: Immigration and Murder in an All-American Town by Mirta Ojito. A former NY Times reporter discusses the events that lead up to the 2008 murder of an undocumented Ecuadorian immigrant on Long Island by a group of teenagers.
Certainly there must be one or two that catch your interest in this months LibraryReads list.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
USA Today's Coolest Books for the Fall
At the end of the week, the USA Today came out with a list of the fall's 30 coolest books. Some were children's titles that I won't cover but most were ones that are going to be talked about by many. Some of these are the big names and I will just mention those, but others are ones you might not think to read unless you realized that the USA Today thought they were cool.
Big Names:
Lee Child's Never Go Back
Sue Grafton's W is for Wasted
Terry McMillan's Who Asked You
Stephen King's Doctor Sleep
Bill O'Reilly's Killing Jesus
Scott Turow's Identical
Wally Lamb's We Are Water
John Grisham's Sycamore Row
Pat Conroy's The Death of Santini - okay - so this one might be a surprise. It is a memoir of his relationship with his father who was the model for the character in the book "The Great Santini"
Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement.
Big Nonfiction Names:
A. Scott Berg's Wilson
Bill Bryson's One Summer
Malcolm Galdwell's David and Goliath
Nora Ephron's The Most of Nora Ephron
Ann Patchett's This Is A Story of A Happy Marriage
Doris Kearns Goodwin The Bully Pulpit
Now for some surprises:
Jamie Ford's Songs of Willow Frost - the story of a 12 year old Chinese boy living in an orphanage in Seattle who thinks he sees his mother in a movie. Ford is the author of the very popular Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
Allan Gurganus's Local Souls - Gurganus has not come out with a novel in a decade. This popular author of The Oldest Living Confederate Wido returns to Falls, North Carolina to take a look at today's South.
Jhumpa Lahiri's The Lowland- Lahir is perhaps the least known Pulitizer Prize winning author. Her newest book tells the story of 2 brothers born just 15 months apart and the very divergent paths. One remains in India and one comes to the U.S. One prospers and one is martyred.
Elizabeth Gilbert's The Signature of All Things - Spanning much of 2 centuries, this is the story of the Whittaker family and especially Alma Whittaker - a botanist who falls in love with an artist. Peopled by extraordinary characters, places and times.
Lastly,of the ones I am going to cover is Donna Tartt. Anyone who has read herThe Secret History has been waiting for her next book for a very long time. In The Goldfinch a 13 year old boy in New York survives an accident that kills his mother. His father abandons him and leaves him in the care of a wealthy Park Ave. family. Theo withdraws from the real world into art. This title is also peopled with wonderful characters.
Enjoy these 'cool' titles.
Big Names:
Lee Child's Never Go Back
Sue Grafton's W is for Wasted
Terry McMillan's Who Asked You
Stephen King's Doctor Sleep
Bill O'Reilly's Killing Jesus
Scott Turow's Identical
Wally Lamb's We Are Water
John Grisham's Sycamore Row
Pat Conroy's The Death of Santini - okay - so this one might be a surprise. It is a memoir of his relationship with his father who was the model for the character in the book "The Great Santini"
Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement.
Big Nonfiction Names:
A. Scott Berg's Wilson
Bill Bryson's One Summer
Malcolm Galdwell's David and Goliath
Nora Ephron's The Most of Nora Ephron
Ann Patchett's This Is A Story of A Happy Marriage
Doris Kearns Goodwin The Bully Pulpit
Now for some surprises:
Jamie Ford's Songs of Willow Frost - the story of a 12 year old Chinese boy living in an orphanage in Seattle who thinks he sees his mother in a movie. Ford is the author of the very popular Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
Allan Gurganus's Local Souls - Gurganus has not come out with a novel in a decade. This popular author of The Oldest Living Confederate Wido returns to Falls, North Carolina to take a look at today's South.
Jhumpa Lahiri's The Lowland- Lahir is perhaps the least known Pulitizer Prize winning author. Her newest book tells the story of 2 brothers born just 15 months apart and the very divergent paths. One remains in India and one comes to the U.S. One prospers and one is martyred.
Elizabeth Gilbert's The Signature of All Things - Spanning much of 2 centuries, this is the story of the Whittaker family and especially Alma Whittaker - a botanist who falls in love with an artist. Peopled by extraordinary characters, places and times.
Lastly,of the ones I am going to cover is Donna Tartt. Anyone who has read herThe Secret History has been waiting for her next book for a very long time. In The Goldfinch a 13 year old boy in New York survives an accident that kills his mother. His father abandons him and leaves him in the care of a wealthy Park Ave. family. Theo withdraws from the real world into art. This title is also peopled with wonderful characters.
Enjoy these 'cool' titles.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Titles Coming Out on November 5, 2013
There are several fiction titles that are coming out on one day, November 5th. It made sense to me to group these together for you although they don't have much in common other than the date. Not sure if it makes sense to anyone other than me, but here they are.
Sebastian Faulks received permission from the estate of P.G. Wodehouse and is coming out with Jeeves and the Wedding Bells. Obviously, this series is one of Faulks' favorites. Wodehouse documented the lives of Bernie Wooster and his trusty butler, Jeeves for 40 years before his death. He was thought to be one of the greatest British comic authors. Faulk takes up his mantle with this tale of Wooster running away from heartbreak to assist a friend whose romance has hit a difficult patch. Anything that could go wrong, does and the complications keep piling up. Definitely for those who like to laugh.
Fannie Flagg uncovers a mother's secret past when her daughter, having married off her own children, starts to investigate the past. This comic mystery takes us all over the country and back in time to World War II. The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion is a delightful trip with Flagg's usual humor. Rumor has it she will be coming to Birmingham and Mobile when the book is published.
If you liked The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, her new one after 7 years will be published. Bellman and Black is a dark gothic mystery as was her first work. William as a young boy, kills a bird while playing with friends. The act is quickly forgotten but when we meet him as a successful family man later in life, we find things about to change.
I was lucky enough to hear Amy Tan earlier this year talk about her inspiration for her new book The Valley of Amazement. While researching a book, she came across a picture of a Chinese courtesan dressed exactly like Tan's grandmother in an old family picture. Tan started wondering if her grandmother might have been a courtesan and so started the plot behind this title. The storyline follows the life of Lucia, a young woman from San Francisco who followed a Chinese painter to his homeland and her daughter Violet. Lucia ran the most prestigious courtesan house in Shanghai but when revolution descends, the mother and daughter are separated. Lucia returns to the states thinking that Violet has died. Violet is forced to live as a courtesan in a country where no one think she belongs. A wonderful family story full of sense of place and time.
Clive Cussler gives us #9 in his Oregon Files series, Mirage. Rumors have linked the disappearance of a naval ship in 1943 to experiments dealing with Nikola Tesla's work. Captain Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon race to find the truth before the supposed results can be used against the US.
Lastly, Ruth Rendell publishes her newest Chief Inspector Wexford mystery - however, Chief Inspector Wexford is now retired so perhaps we should call it something else. No Man's Nightingale follows Wexford when he is called in to help his replacement after the body of a female vicar is found hanged. Sarah Hussein is of mixed race and a single mother so not particularly popular with the community. Rendell's usual police procedural except of course, Wexford isn't the police anymore so.....see what you think.
Sebastian Faulks received permission from the estate of P.G. Wodehouse and is coming out with Jeeves and the Wedding Bells. Obviously, this series is one of Faulks' favorites. Wodehouse documented the lives of Bernie Wooster and his trusty butler, Jeeves for 40 years before his death. He was thought to be one of the greatest British comic authors. Faulk takes up his mantle with this tale of Wooster running away from heartbreak to assist a friend whose romance has hit a difficult patch. Anything that could go wrong, does and the complications keep piling up. Definitely for those who like to laugh.
Fannie Flagg uncovers a mother's secret past when her daughter, having married off her own children, starts to investigate the past. This comic mystery takes us all over the country and back in time to World War II. The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion is a delightful trip with Flagg's usual humor. Rumor has it she will be coming to Birmingham and Mobile when the book is published.
If you liked The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, her new one after 7 years will be published. Bellman and Black is a dark gothic mystery as was her first work. William as a young boy, kills a bird while playing with friends. The act is quickly forgotten but when we meet him as a successful family man later in life, we find things about to change.
I was lucky enough to hear Amy Tan earlier this year talk about her inspiration for her new book The Valley of Amazement. While researching a book, she came across a picture of a Chinese courtesan dressed exactly like Tan's grandmother in an old family picture. Tan started wondering if her grandmother might have been a courtesan and so started the plot behind this title. The storyline follows the life of Lucia, a young woman from San Francisco who followed a Chinese painter to his homeland and her daughter Violet. Lucia ran the most prestigious courtesan house in Shanghai but when revolution descends, the mother and daughter are separated. Lucia returns to the states thinking that Violet has died. Violet is forced to live as a courtesan in a country where no one think she belongs. A wonderful family story full of sense of place and time.
Clive Cussler gives us #9 in his Oregon Files series, Mirage. Rumors have linked the disappearance of a naval ship in 1943 to experiments dealing with Nikola Tesla's work. Captain Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon race to find the truth before the supposed results can be used against the US.
Lastly, Ruth Rendell publishes her newest Chief Inspector Wexford mystery - however, Chief Inspector Wexford is now retired so perhaps we should call it something else. No Man's Nightingale follows Wexford when he is called in to help his replacement after the body of a female vicar is found hanged. Sarah Hussein is of mixed race and a single mother so not particularly popular with the community. Rendell's usual police procedural except of course, Wexford isn't the police anymore so.....see what you think.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
More Thrillers in October
October is a big month for publishing. The fall season in general is one of the busier seasons. There are some more thrillers coming out by lesser known authors and one book that is getting particular attention.
The idea for S. was conceived by J.J. Abrams - the producer/director of Lost and Alias and the director of the next Star Wars movie. He commissioned Doug Dorst, who has been nominated for the PEN/Hemingway Award AND the Shirley Jackson Award, to write the book. It is adventure, suspense and mystery all in one. It deals with a book of mysterious provenance with another story in the handwritten notes in it's margins. It sounds fascinating and comes to the shelf on October 29th.
The Ian Fleming Publications Ltd has asked William Boyd to follow Jeffery Deaver in writing the next James Bond title. Boyd has twice won the Costa/Whitbread Award which last year was won by Hilary Mantel so you know this one is going to be well written. Solo arrives on the shelf on October 8th. This will be your usual James Bond plot and we know the character so well, it will be interesting to see what Boyd adds to the series.
Those who read Robert Olen Butler's The Hot Country will be happy to see the return of the series hero, Christopher Marlowe Cobb, an American war correspondant and spy. The Star of Istanbul arrives on the shelf on October 7th. This time Cobb has been sent to follow a possible SS agent named Brauer onto the ship Lusitania. Also on the voyage is actress Selene Bourgani who seems to be working with Brauer. Following the U-Boat attack Cobb follows the duo into the streats of London and onto Istanbul. Historical thriller at it's best.
Jefferson Bass, who writes the Body Farm series, is actually two people - Jon Jefferson, the writer, and Dr. Bill Bass, a renowned forensic anthropologist. They have written 7 novels in the series that features the head of The Body Farm where human remains lie exposed to be studied for their secrets. OK - I admit this one comes out in September but by the time you get it - it will almost be October. Cut to the Bone is the long awaited prequel to the series and it hits the shelf on September 24th. Bass turns back the clock to the creation of the Body Farm and investigation into a serial killer that seems to be tormenting him.
Michael Sears gave us the character of Jason Stafford, a disgraced financier. He became a financial investigator when he got out of prison and reclaimed his severly autistic son in Black Fridays, an Edgar award nominee for best first novel last year. On October 1st, he gives us the second title in the series, Mortal Bonds. Jason is hired by the family of a deceased investor who was involved in running a Ponzi scheme. While he was sitting in prison, he committed suicide. His family would like to be able to find some of the missing money to improve the family name. Unfortunately, Jason isn't the only one looking and bad things start happening to people he talks to and then to him. While this is going on, his unstable ex-wife comes to town to 'supposedly' visit their son but he knows that there is something up her sleeve. Definitely worth reading this series if you haven't started it yet.
Lastly is a creepy mystery by Dan Simmons comes to the shelf on October 22nd, The Abominable. In 1926 a grieving mother funds three friends attempt to summit Mt. Everest. She wants them to bring her son, who fell to his death two years before, home alive. As they start their attempt, they run into other's seeking the boy's body. What is the reason? Could he have been carrying something valuable? A story that has been described as bone-chilling and pulse-pounding. Sounds like it will be a good read.
Next week, we will start on the November titles but I might throw one or two in from October. We will see.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
LibraryReads
Librarians nationwide are recommending titles soon to be published. The debut list of the top ten reviewed is below. It is called LibraryReads and will be coming out monthly. I did put in two entries but neither of them made this list. These books all come out in September and all will be coming to your local library. Put your name on the list!
Announcing the
September 2013
LibraryReads list!
September's LibraryReads Favorite is:
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
(9/10, St. Martin's Griffin)
"At turns funny, sweet, smart, and sad, Fangirl traces Cath's journey to independence as she begins college, struggles to have an identity separate from her twin sister, find her voice and passion as a writer and fall in love, maybe, for the first time. As sharp and emotionally resonant as Rowell's previous novel, Eleanor & Park."
Stephanie Chase, Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA
And now, the other fine books of the LibraryReads Top 10:
How The Light Gets In
by Louise Penny
(Minotaur)
"The latest novel featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec is as amazing as ever. The internal conflict within the Québec police force that has been building in the series comes to a head, prompting Gamache to retreat to the small town of Three Pines. The combination of fascinating mystery puzzles, exquisitely crafted characters, and gorgeous, gorgeous writing is irresistible." --Megan McArdle, Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley, CA
The Returned
by Jason Mott
(8/27, Harlequin MIRA)
"Across the country and around the world, people are coming back from the dead and trying to reunite with their loved ones. In the tiny Southern town of Arcadia, Harold and Lucille Hargrave are astonished to have their son Jacob come back to them fifty years after he died. A global government agency at first works to reunite “The Returned” with their family members, then later confines them when problems arise as more and more people come back from the dead. A beautifully written exploration of love and family, community and responsibility, and a perfect book group selection." --Vicki Nesting, St. Charles Parish Library, New Orleans, LA
Songs of Willow Frost
by Jamie Ford
(Ballantine)
"Fans of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet have been eagerly anticipating Ford's new book. Set in 1920s Seattle, Songs of Willow Frost tells the moving story of Liu Song, a young Chinese-American woman who becomes pregnant by her stepfather. With her stunning good looks and lovely voice, Liu supports herself through singing, but difficult circumstances force her to give up her son William for adoption. Flash forward several years, William spots a movie ad featuring the glamorous actress, Willow Frost. Convinced that Willow is his ah-ma, William escapes the orphanage, determined to find her. A memorable journey, and one well worth taking."
--Anne Lee, Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Night Film
by Marisha Pessl
(Random House)
"Scott McGrath has it all--a successful career in journalism, a beautiful wife, and an adorable daughter--until his impulsive, possibly libelous comment about the mysterious film director Stanislav Cordova causes everything to fall apart. Five years later, Cordova's talented daughter, Ashley, dies from an apparent suicide--or is it? A giant, delicious, juicy read that cuts across genres." --Elizabeth Olesh, Nassau Library System, Long Island, NY
Burial Rites
by Hannah Kent
(Little, Brown)
"Kent has created a first-rate debut novel with beautiful, lyrical passages and characters true to their historical counterparts. The unforgettable story finds convicted killer Agnes Magnúsdóttir awaiting execution and seeking both a reprieve from her dreadful sentence and the possibility of redemption. An excellent choice for reading groups, especially those who have enjoyed Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace." --Margaret Donovan, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA
Five Days at Memorial
by Sheri Fink
(Crown)
"Through exhaustive interviews and extensive research, Fink offers a spellbinding account of Hurricane Katrina, a disaster which held the staff, patients, and families of a New Orleans hospital captive and left thousands of others marooned by rising flood waters in the heart of city. Filled with unforgettable life-and-death stories, Fink’s fine work of investigative journalism reads like a novel. The book causes you to rethink your opinions about end-of-life decisions, do-not-resuscitate orders and medical ethics."
--Marilyn Sieb, L.D. Fargo Public Library, Lake Mills, WI
Help for the Haunted
by John Searles
(William Morrow)
"Fourteen-year-old Sylvia slowly unravels deep family secrets after her demonologist parents are gunned down in a deserted church. Creepy, disturbing, and compelling, with gothic overtones and well-drawn characters, Help for the Haunted is definitely one of my favorite suspense novels of the year. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to older teens, and it would also make a terrific movie." --Robin Beerbower, Salem Public Library, Salem, OR
Margot
by Jillian Cantor
(Riverhead)
"Can you hide from your past and change who you are? If you try, what do you risk losing? This delicately written novel proposes an alternate fate for Margot Frank, who survives the war, moves to Philadelphia, finds work as a law secretary and assumes the identity 'Margie Franklin.' But when the movie version of The Diary of A Young Girl is released and the law firm takes on a case of a Holocaust survivor, Margot’s past and Margie’s carefully constructed present collide. This great book will appeal to reading groups and fans of alternative history, what-if novels and character-centered fiction." --Janet Lockhart, Wake County Public Libraries, Cary, NC
A House in the Sky
by Amanda Lindhout
& Sara Corbett
(Scribner)
"Absolutely gripping, harrowing and unforgettable! This well-written memoir is a true testament to the strength of one woman's spirit and her will to survive in unimaginable circumstances. The family issues that led Amanda Lindhout from her home in Canada to a life of world travel and a career in journalism are as richly detailed and compelling as the brutal account of her fifteen-month-long captivity by Somali Islamist rebels in 2008. She tells her story with such vulnerability and honesty that it is a privilege to read it." --Mary Coe, Fairfield Woods Branch Library, Fairfield, CT
Announcing the
September 2013
LibraryReads list!
September's LibraryReads Favorite is:
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
(9/10, St. Martin's Griffin)
"At turns funny, sweet, smart, and sad, Fangirl traces Cath's journey to independence as she begins college, struggles to have an identity separate from her twin sister, find her voice and passion as a writer and fall in love, maybe, for the first time. As sharp and emotionally resonant as Rowell's previous novel, Eleanor & Park."
Stephanie Chase, Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA
And now, the other fine books of the LibraryReads Top 10:
How The Light Gets In
by Louise Penny
(Minotaur)
"The latest novel featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec is as amazing as ever. The internal conflict within the Québec police force that has been building in the series comes to a head, prompting Gamache to retreat to the small town of Three Pines. The combination of fascinating mystery puzzles, exquisitely crafted characters, and gorgeous, gorgeous writing is irresistible." --Megan McArdle, Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley, CA
The Returned
by Jason Mott
(8/27, Harlequin MIRA)
"Across the country and around the world, people are coming back from the dead and trying to reunite with their loved ones. In the tiny Southern town of Arcadia, Harold and Lucille Hargrave are astonished to have their son Jacob come back to them fifty years after he died. A global government agency at first works to reunite “The Returned” with their family members, then later confines them when problems arise as more and more people come back from the dead. A beautifully written exploration of love and family, community and responsibility, and a perfect book group selection." --Vicki Nesting, St. Charles Parish Library, New Orleans, LA
Songs of Willow Frost
by Jamie Ford
(Ballantine)
"Fans of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet have been eagerly anticipating Ford's new book. Set in 1920s Seattle, Songs of Willow Frost tells the moving story of Liu Song, a young Chinese-American woman who becomes pregnant by her stepfather. With her stunning good looks and lovely voice, Liu supports herself through singing, but difficult circumstances force her to give up her son William for adoption. Flash forward several years, William spots a movie ad featuring the glamorous actress, Willow Frost. Convinced that Willow is his ah-ma, William escapes the orphanage, determined to find her. A memorable journey, and one well worth taking."
--Anne Lee, Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Night Film
by Marisha Pessl
(Random House)
"Scott McGrath has it all--a successful career in journalism, a beautiful wife, and an adorable daughter--until his impulsive, possibly libelous comment about the mysterious film director Stanislav Cordova causes everything to fall apart. Five years later, Cordova's talented daughter, Ashley, dies from an apparent suicide--or is it? A giant, delicious, juicy read that cuts across genres." --Elizabeth Olesh, Nassau Library System, Long Island, NY
Burial Rites
by Hannah Kent
(Little, Brown)
"Kent has created a first-rate debut novel with beautiful, lyrical passages and characters true to their historical counterparts. The unforgettable story finds convicted killer Agnes Magnúsdóttir awaiting execution and seeking both a reprieve from her dreadful sentence and the possibility of redemption. An excellent choice for reading groups, especially those who have enjoyed Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace." --Margaret Donovan, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA
Five Days at Memorial
by Sheri Fink
(Crown)
"Through exhaustive interviews and extensive research, Fink offers a spellbinding account of Hurricane Katrina, a disaster which held the staff, patients, and families of a New Orleans hospital captive and left thousands of others marooned by rising flood waters in the heart of city. Filled with unforgettable life-and-death stories, Fink’s fine work of investigative journalism reads like a novel. The book causes you to rethink your opinions about end-of-life decisions, do-not-resuscitate orders and medical ethics."
--Marilyn Sieb, L.D. Fargo Public Library, Lake Mills, WI
Help for the Haunted
by John Searles
(William Morrow)
"Fourteen-year-old Sylvia slowly unravels deep family secrets after her demonologist parents are gunned down in a deserted church. Creepy, disturbing, and compelling, with gothic overtones and well-drawn characters, Help for the Haunted is definitely one of my favorite suspense novels of the year. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to older teens, and it would also make a terrific movie." --Robin Beerbower, Salem Public Library, Salem, OR
Margot
by Jillian Cantor
(Riverhead)
"Can you hide from your past and change who you are? If you try, what do you risk losing? This delicately written novel proposes an alternate fate for Margot Frank, who survives the war, moves to Philadelphia, finds work as a law secretary and assumes the identity 'Margie Franklin.' But when the movie version of The Diary of A Young Girl is released and the law firm takes on a case of a Holocaust survivor, Margot’s past and Margie’s carefully constructed present collide. This great book will appeal to reading groups and fans of alternative history, what-if novels and character-centered fiction." --Janet Lockhart, Wake County Public Libraries, Cary, NC
A House in the Sky
by Amanda Lindhout
& Sara Corbett
(Scribner)
"Absolutely gripping, harrowing and unforgettable! This well-written memoir is a true testament to the strength of one woman's spirit and her will to survive in unimaginable circumstances. The family issues that led Amanda Lindhout from her home in Canada to a life of world travel and a career in journalism are as richly detailed and compelling as the brutal account of her fifteen-month-long captivity by Somali Islamist rebels in 2008. She tells her story with such vulnerability and honesty that it is a privilege to read it." --Mary Coe, Fairfield Woods Branch Library, Fairfield, CT
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