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The Most Requested Guides of 2016…and So Much More
Well, after the Oscar drama of last night, we double-checked our new feature with a listing of the Most Requested Guides for 2016. Our lists note the guides that were most requested in two categories --- New Favorites and Ongoing Favorites. The top selection in New Favorites was THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah, which some of you may remember also was selected as your favorite title that you read with your book group in 2016, and it was the runner-up to A MAN CALLED OVE in the list of books you most loved reading for pleasure in 2016.
What is interesting looking at the list of New Favorites is how many of these books still are in hardcover. We keep telling publishers that book groups are not waiting for the paperbacks for their selections, and it’s nice that you once again confirmed this for us.
In our list of Most Requested Ongoing Favorites, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME tops the list; I love that this book continues to be beloved.
By the way, book clubs who loved CURIOUS INCIDENT should have GINNY MOON by Benjamin Ludwig on their radar; it’s coming on May 2nd. I blurbed it and said, “This book seared its way into my heart. Ginny Moon’s voice is just pitch perfect, drawing readers to move through the world as seen by her gifted autistic mind. The plotting is deft as she leads the adults around her to a brilliant climax and hastens their awakening of how strong --- actually fierce --- Ginny is about those she loves.” Truly wonderful.
Curious as to what changed on the Most Requested Guide lists since 2015? You can have a look at those New Favorites and Ongoing Favorites here.
We have a new contest for GLORY OVER EVERYTHING, Kathleen Grissom’s follow-up to her bestseller, THE KITCHEN HOUSE. This is a heart-racing story about a man’s treacherous journey through the twists and turns of the Underground Railroad on a mission to save the boy he swore to protect. Grissom writes beautifully and knows how to ratchet up the suspense. We are celebrating its recent paperback release by giving three groups the chance to win 12 copies of the book. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 23rd at noon ET. Click here for the discussion guide, here for our review on Bookreporter.com, and here for my "Bookreporter.com Bets On" commentary. By the way, this book is perfect for groups who would like to experiment with reading two books by the same author and have a meaty discussion about both the content and the author's writing style.
Give a wave of your mouse or swipe your phone or iPad pad if your book group read ORPHAN TRAIN by Christina Baker Kline. We know this book had millions of readers, many of them in book groups. I was lucky enough to read Christina's new novel, A PIECE OF THE WORLD, before it was published, and I am so happy it’s out now so you too can enjoy it. She takes readers on another journey through a slice of American history that we most likely know tangentially, but have not explored in-depth.
Christina Olsen was the inspiration for artist Andrew Wyeth’s famous painting, Christina’s World. Olson’s entire world was her family’s remote farm in the small town of Cushing, Maine. Born in the home her family had lived in for generations, and increasingly incapacitated by illness, Christina seemed destined for a small life. Instead, for more than 20 years, she was host and inspiration for the artist Andrew Wyeth, and became the subject of one of the best known American paintings of the 20th century. The discussion guide for this book is coming soon. Here I am sharing a quote from our Bookreporter.com reviewer, Bronwyn Miller: “Kline breathes life and breadth into Wyeth’s stirring but one-dimensional image, offering readers a keenly observed fictional chronicle of one woman’s ‘mutinous body,’ her desire to conquer it, and the one man who had the sensitivity to truly see her.”
We have some additional content for A PIECE OF THE WORLD, courtesy of the author herself, including a behind-the-book essay, an audio interview and a Facebook Live video. Also, here’s a wonderful piece from the New York Times that Christina wrote about the time her family picnicked at the site of her book. Christina is on an extensive tour; try to catch her if you can as she shares some wonderful background on what inspired her to write this book. And, yes, a copy of the famous photo is in the book! I do want to get over to the Museum of Modern Art where it is permanently on exhibit; it could make for a nice book group trip, as could a visit to the house in Maine, which is now a museum.
This month's “What’s Your Book Group Reading?" contest title is BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE, Fredrick Backman’s irresistible novel about finding love and second chances in the most unlikely of places. When the fastidiously organized Britt-Marie discovers her husband’s infidelity, she abruptly leaves him and embarks on a journey that will change her life forever. As usual, we’re giving three groups the opportunity to win 12 copies of the book, which is now in paperback; enter here by Wednesday, March 8th at noon ET for your chance to win.
Just as I was working on this newsletter I heard from Elise, who is one of our readers. “Just wanted to thank you for the 12 copies I won of MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON. I shared them with my ‘Tuesday People’ book club, and we read and discussed it this month. Everyone was very appreciative of the books, and they loved it! Since many of the members gave me back their copy, I decided to see if my other book club ‘Chick Lits’ would be interested in doing it too. They were and we are! It was one of my favorite books from last year, so I was so happy to spread the word!
"Thanks so very much for your wonderful Bookreporter network. I have been loving and reading your newsletters for many years. I so appreciate all the loving care you put into them, and your newsletter is my #1 source of book info.” We appreciate her kind words and love that Elise doubled the discussions on this book. Bravo!
Continuing with our audiobook coverage, we have a report from three groups who listened to BEHOLD THE DREAMERS by Imbolo Mbue, which was a Bets On selection. The groups were asked to listen to the audiobook and answer some questions about their experience. Click here to take a look at their feedback and here for more info on the audiobook. We will have reports from the groups that listened to THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD in an upcoming newsletter! If your group has tried audio, let me know what you have enjoyed listening to.
I love doing live events where I have the opportunity to speak with and meet readers. I am happy to announce that we will be returning to BookExpo in New York on Friday, June 2nd from 2:00pm to 3:50pm to host the 6th Annual BookExpo Book Group Speed Dating for Booksellers, Librarians and Book Club Leaders session, which is one of our biggest events of the year. Registration opened here today. More details are below, but please remember that you have to be registered for BEA to attend this event.
As I mentioned in our previous newsletter, on Saturday afternoon, March 11th, Simon & Schuster will be hosting book groups and readers for an event with authors at the Ed Sullivan Theater. The guests are Anthony Doerr, Isabel Allende, Lisa See, Lisa Genova, Ruth Ware and Megan Miranda. I am looking forward to interviewing Isabel Allende. If any of you have read her books and have a question that you would like me to ask her, let me know. I have discovered some fun facts about her, including that she always starts a new book on January 8th. You know I will be asking her what she was doing on January 8th of this year.
I am booking 2017 events at libraries, women’s groups, book conventions and festivals. I am adding to my schedule all the time. You can see that here, noting that I still have a few dates to confirm and add.
We're spotlighting three books in this newsletter, the latter two of which are now out in paperback.
You may remember that we shared Sally Hepworth’s THE THINGS WE KEEP with you last month when it released in paperback. Her latest, THE MOTHER’S PROMISE, was published last week, and once again Sally nails a story with wonderfully original characters; she makes you empathetic to them all. Here we have a moving story about an anxiety-ridden young girl, whose mother has sheltered her through the years. Their world crashes down as the mom becomes desperately ill and she finds support with both a nurse and a social worker. These four characters come together and bring each other the support that they each need. It is a Bets On selection, and I will have more about that on Friday on Bookreporter.com. You can see our review here.
Next up is WILDE LAKE by Laura Lippman. In 1980, Luisa “Lu” Brant’s older brother, AJ, was acquitted of killing another man to save his friend’s life. Today, Lu is working her first case as a state attorney, trying a mentally disturbed drifter accused of beating a woman to death in her home. As she prepares, the case dredges up painful memories, reminding her of the fateful night her brother took another man’s life. Lu begins to wonder if what she knows about what happened in 1980 is the truth. Propelled into the past, she discovers that the legal system, the bedrock of her entire life, does not have all the answers. Click here for the guide and here for our Bookreporter.com review.
Finally, we're featuring THE RAINBOW COMES AND GOES, a wonderful memoir by Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt. The two wrote letters back and forth to each other and delved into their memories, and exploring them from each of their points of view gives readers a chance not only to reflect on their story, but also to think about your own. I listened to this on audio last year when it first was published and loved it; they both narrate it. Wonderful. Click here for the guide and here for our review on Bookreporter.com.
In this month's poll, we’re asking you to take a look back at book group titles that were popular over the last eight years (we selected three from each year) and let us know which your group has read. Weigh in here. We love seeing your feedback in these polls.
Read on to see details on how to enter our ongoing Word of Mouth and Sounding Off on Audio contests on Bookreporter.com, along with deadlines for entry. Know that we love reading these comments. In case you missed them earlier this month, we’ve updated our New in Paperback and Reading Roundup features for February; we took a look at our traffic numbers, aka what you read on the site, and were jazzed by your reading of both of these.
We’ll be back in early March with another update. Here's to planning and having a great next discussion with your book group!
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Special Contest: Enter to Win 12 Copies of
GLORY OVER EVERYTHING by Kathleen Grissom
for Your Group
GLORY OVER EVERYTHING by Kathleen Grissom, the author of the beloved book club favorite THE KITCHEN HOUSE, is a heart-racing story about a man’s treacherous journey through the twists and turns of the Underground Railroad on a mission to save the boy he swore to protect. We are celebrating its recent paperback release by giving three groups the chance to win 12 copies of the book. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 23rd at noon ET.
GLORY OVER EVERYTHING by Kathleen Grissom (Historical Fiction)
The year is 1830, and Jamie Pyke, a celebrated silversmith and notorious ladies’ man, is keeping a deadly secret. Passing as a wealthy white aristocrat in Philadelphian society, Jamie is now living a life he never could have imagined years before when he was a runaway slave, son of a southern black slave and her master. But Jamie’s carefully constructed world is threatened when he discovers that his married socialite lover, Caroline, is pregnant and his beloved servant Pan, to whose father Jamie owes his own freedom, has been captured and sold into slavery in the South.
Fleeing the consequences of his deceptions, Jamie embarks on a trip to a North Carolina plantation to save Pan from the life he himself barely escaped as a boy. With the help of a fearless slave, Sukey, who has taken the terrified young boy under her wing, Jamie navigates their way, racing against time and their ruthless pursuers through the Virginia backwoods, the Underground Railroad, and the treacherous Great Dismal Swamp.
“Kathleen Grissom is a first-rate storyteller…she observes with an unwavering but kind eye, and she bestows upon the reader, amid terrible secrets and sin, a gift of mercy: the belief that hope can triumph over hell” (Richmond Times Dispatch). GLORY OVER EVERYTHING is an emotionally rewarding and epic novel “filled with romance, villains, violence, courage, compassion…and suspense” (Florida Courier).
- Click here for the reading group guide.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here for Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
Click here to enter the contest.
Now Available: A PIECE OF THE WORLD
by Christina Baker Kline
Discussion Guide Coming Soon!
A PIECE OF THE WORLD by Christina Baker Kline (Historical Fiction)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the smash bestseller ORPHAN TRAIN, a stunning and atmospheric novel of friendship, passion and art, inspired by Andrew Wyeth’s mysterious and iconic painting Christina’s World.
"Later he told me that he’d been afraid to show me the painting. He thought I wouldn’t like the way he portrayed me: dragging myself across the field, fingers clutching dirt, my legs twisted behind. The arid moonscape of wheatgrass and timothy. That dilapidated house in the distance, looming up like a secret that won’t stay hidden."
To Christina Olson, the entire world was her family’s remote farm in the small coastal town of Cushing, Maine. Born in the home her family had lived in for generations, and increasingly incapacitated by illness, Christina seemed destined for a small life. Instead, for more than 20 years, she was host and inspiration for the artist Andrew Wyeth, and became the subject of one of the best known American paintings of the 20th century.
As she did in her beloved smash bestseller ORPHAN TRAIN, Christina Baker Kline interweaves fact and fiction in a powerful novel that illuminates a little-known part of America’s history. Bringing into focus the flesh-and-blood woman behind the portrait, she vividly imagines the life of a woman with a complicated relationship to her family and her past, and a special bond with one of our greatest modern artists.
Told in evocative and lucid prose, A PIECE OF THE WORLD is a story about the burdens and blessings of family history, and how artist and muse can come together to forge a new and timeless legacy.
A PIECE OF THE WORLD will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Read Carol's commentary in the March 3rd Bookreporter.com Weekly Update newsletter.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here for the story behind the book.
- Click here to listen to Christina Baker Kline talk about the book.
- Click here to see a Facebook Live video with Christina Baker Kline.
Please check back for the discussion guide. It will be available shortly!
Now Available: THE MOTHER'S PROMISE
by Sally Hepworth
THE MOTHER'S PROMISE by Sally Hepworth (Fiction)
"A page-turner. All the pieces masterfully come together at the end to create a beautiful novel of courage and love in the face of sorrow."
-- Booklist (starred review)
All their lives, Alice Stanhope and her daughter, Zoe, have been a family of two, living quietly in northern California. Zoe has always struggled with crippling social anxiety, and her mother has been her constant and fierce protector. With no family to speak of, and the identity of Zoe’s father shrouded in mystery, their team of two works --- until it doesn’t. Until Alice gets sick and needs to fight for her life.
Desperate to find stability for Zoe, Alice reaches out to two women who are practically strangers, but who are her only hope: Kate, a nurse, and Sonja, a social worker. As the four of them come together, a chain of events is set into motion, and all four of them must confront their sharpest fears and secrets --- secrets about abandonment, abuse, estrangement and the deepest longing for family.
Imbued with heart and humor in even the darkest moments, THE MOTHER'S PROMISE is an unforgettable novel about the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters, and the new ways in which families are forged.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to read more about the book and author on the publisher's website.
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest:
Enter to Win 12 Copies of BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE
by Fredrik Backman for Your Group
Each month, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Note: To be eligible to win, let us know the title of the book that YOUR book group is CURRENTLY reading, NOT the title we are giving away.
This month's prize book is BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE, international bestselling author Fredrik Backman's irresistible novel about finding love and second chances in the most unlikely of places, which is now available in paperback. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, March 8th at noon ET.
BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE by Fredrik Backman (Fiction)
The bestselling author of A MAN CALLED OVE and MY GRANDMOTHER ASKED ME TO TELL YOU SHE’S SORRY returns with an irresistible novel about finding love and second chances in the most unlikely of places.
Britt-Marie can’t stand mess. A disorganized cutlery drawer ranks high on her list of unforgivable sins. She begins her day at 6 a.m., because only lunatics wake up later than that. And she is not passive-aggressive. Not in the least. It's just that sometimes people interpret her helpful suggestions as criticisms, which is certainly not her intention. She is not one to judge others --- no matter how ill-mannered, unkempt or morally suspect they might be.
But hidden inside the socially awkward, fussy busybody is a woman who has more imagination, bigger dreams and a warmer heart that anyone around her realizes.
When Britt-Marie walks out on her cheating husband and has to fend for herself in the miserable backwater town of Borg --- of which the kindest thing one can say is that it has a road going through it --- she is more than a little unprepared. Employed as the caretaker of a soon-to-be demolished recreation center, the fastidious Britt-Marie has to cope with muddy floors, unruly children and a (literal) rat for a roommate. She finds herself being drawn into the daily doings of her fellow citizens, an odd assortment of miscreants, drunkards, layabouts --- and a handsome local policeman whose romantic attentions to Britt-Marie are as unmistakable as they are unwanted. Most alarming of all, she’s given the impossible task of leading the supremely untalented children’s soccer team to victory. In this small town of big-hearted misfits, can Britt-Marie find a place where she truly belongs?
Funny and moving, observant and humane, BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE celebrates the unexpected friendships that change us forever, and the power of even the gentlest of spirits to make the world a better place.
- Click here for the reading group guide.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to enter the contest.
Announcing ReadingGroupGuides.com's 6th Annual BookExpo Speed Dating Event:
"Great Book Group Titles for Fall/Winter 2017"
On Friday, June 2nd, from 2:00pm to 3:50pm at BookExpo in New York, ReadingGroupGuides.com will host its 6th Annual Book Group Speed Dating Event.
Publisher representatives will be in attendance to share selections and book group news from their publishing houses in a speed-dating format designed to give booksellers, librarians and book group leaders an inside look at what book groups will want to know for fall and winter. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions will be part of this event.
Advance signup is required by Monday, May 22nd at noon ET. Seating will be assigned. Fill out this form to sign up.
Please note: You must be registered to attend BookExpo in order to attend this session. If you are not, click here to register.
Most Requested Guides of 2016
Our Most Requested Guides feature for 2016 has been updated. We took a look at all of the requested guides from last year, and from there we pulled together two lists, each with 20 titles: one for New Favorites (books that were published in hardcover or paperback in the last two or so years) and a second for Ongoing Favorites for books published a bit longer ago in hardcover or paperback that still rank high with our readers. We love seeing what resonated with you!
Here are the top five titles in each category:
New Favorites:
Ongoing Favorites:
Click here to see the complete lists of the Most Requested Guides of 2016.
Get Listening with Your Book Group!
Our Listeners' Comments on BEHOLD THE DREAMERS
by Imbolo Mbue
In October, we hosted a very special contest in which we gave away audiobooks to nine book groups. Three groups won BEHOLD THE DREAMERS, written by Imbolo Mbue and read by Prentice Onayemi; three were awarded SMALL GREAT THINGS, written by Jodi Picoult and read by Audra McDonald (with Cassandra Campbell and Ari Fliakos); and three received THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, written by Colson Whitehead and read by Bahni Turpin.
We asked these winning groups to listen to the audiobook they won and answer some questions about the experience.
We are pleased to share with you feedback from the three groups that won BEHOLD THE DREAMERS.
Click here to see their comments.
New Guide: WILDE LAKE by Laura Lippman
Now Available in Paperback
WILDE LAKE by Laura Lippman (Psychological Suspense)
Luisa “Lu” Brant is the newly elected state’s attorney of Howard County, Maryland, a job in which her widower father famously served. Fiercely intelligent and ambitious, she sees an opportunity to burnish her reputation by trying a homeless man accused of beating a woman to death in her home. It’s not the kind of case that makes national headlines, but peaceful Howard County doesn’t see many homicides.
As Lu prepares for the trial, the case dredges up painful memories, reminding her small but tight-knit family of the night when her brother, AJ, saved his best friend at the cost of another man’s life. Only eighteen at the time, AJ was found to have acted in self-defense. Now Lu wonders if the events of 1980 happened as she remembers them. Long discrete memories begin to fit together, revealing connections and secrets that Lu never suspected.
The more she learns about her new case, the more questions arise about the past. Why was her brother’s friend attacked? Who was the true victim? Lu discovers that the legal system, the bedrock of her entire life, can no longer provide comfort or even reliable answers. If there is such a thing as the whole truth, Lu realizes --- possibly too late --- that she would be better off not knowing what it is.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the reading group guide.
New Guide: THE RAINBOW COMES AND GOES
by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt
THE RAINBOW COMES AND GOES: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt (Memoir)
Though Anderson Cooper has always considered himself close to his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, his intensely busy career as a journalist for CNN and CBS affords him little time to spend with her. After she suffers a brief but serious illness at the age of 91, they resolve to change their relationship by beginning a year-long conversation unlike any they had ever had before. The result is a correspondence of surprising honesty and depth in which they discuss their lives, the things that matter to them, and what they still want to learn about each other.
Both a son’s love letter to his mother and an unconventional mom’s life lessons for her grown son, THE RAINBOW COMES AND GOES offers a rare window into their close relationship and fascinating life stories, including their tragedies and triumphs. In these often humorous and moving exchanges, they share their most private thoughts and the hard-earned truths they’ve learned along the way. In their words their distinctive personalities shine through --- Anderson’s journalistic outlook on the world is a sharp contrast to his mother’s idealism and unwavering optimism.
An appealing memoir with inspirational advice, THE RAINBOW COMES AND GOES is a beautiful and affectionate celebration of the universal bond between a parent and a child, and a thoughtful reflection on life, reminding us of the precious insight that remains to be shared, no matter our age.
- Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here for the reading group guide.
February Releases of Interest to Book Groups
THE CHILBURY LADIES' CHOIR by Jennifer Ryan (Historical Fiction)
As the early days of World War II descend onto England, the women of Chilbury village defy the Vicar’s stuffy edict to shutter the church’s choir in the absence of men and instead “carry on singing.” Resurrecting themselves as “The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir,” the women of this small village come to use their collective voice to lift up themselves and the community as the war tears through their lives.
IF I COULD TELL YOU by Elizabeth Wilhide (Historical Fiction)
England, 1939: Julia Compton has a handsome husband, a young son she adores and a housekeeper who takes care of her comfortable home. Then, a film crew arrives in town. She falls in love, to devastating consequence. Penniless, ripped from her son, and completely unequipped to fend for herself, she finds herself adrift in wartime London with her lover, documentary filmmaker Dougie Birdsall. As the German invasion looms, Julia faces a choice --- succumb to fate, or forge a new identity in the midst of war.
A MILLION LITTLE THINGS by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
After her breakup with a longtime boyfriend, Zoe Saldivar is more than just single, she’s alone. She works from home, and her best friend Jen is busy with her new baby. Zoe realizes she needs to stop living in isolation --- which becomes complicated. Her first new friend is Jen's widowed mom, Pam. She starts having feelings for Jen's brother. And meanwhile, Pam is being seduced by Zoe's own father. Zoe is beginning to think that "alone" doesn't sound so bad after all.
THE MOTHER'S PROMISE by Sally Hepworth (Fiction)
All their lives, Alice Stanhope and her daughter, Zoe, have been a family of two. Their team works until Alice gets sick and needs to fight for her life. Desperate to find stability for Zoe, Alice reaches out to two women who are her only hope: Kate, a nurse, and Sonja, a social worker. As the four of them come together, they must confront their sharpest fears and secrets about abandonment, abuse, estrangement and the deepest longing for family.
THE NEARNESS OF YOU by Amanda Eyre Ward (Fiction)
Heart surgeon Suzette Kendall is stunned when her husband, Hyland, admits his yearning for a child. From the beginning they had decided that children were not an option, as Suzette feared passing along the genes that landed her mother in a mental institution. Hyland proposes a baby via surrogate, and a young woman named Dorothy Muscarello is chosen. But this situation forces all three of them to face a devastating uncertainty that will reverberate in the years to come.
THE ORPHAN’S TALE by Pam Jenoff (Historical Fiction)
After discovering a boxcar containing dozens of Jewish infants bound for a concentration camp, 16-year-old Noa is reminded of the child who was taken from her. In a moment that changes the course of her life, she snatches one of the babies and flees. Noa finds refuge with a German circus, but she needs to learn the flying trapeze act so she can blend in. Noa and the lead aerialist, Astrid, must decide whether their friendship is enough to save one another --- or if the secrets that burn between them will destroy everything.
A PIECE OF THE WORLD by Christina Baker Kline (Historical Fiction)
To Christina Olson, the entire world was her family’s remote farm in a small coastal town. Increasingly incapacitated by illness, Christina seemed destined for a small life. Instead, for more than 20 years, she was host and inspiration for the artist Andrew Wyeth, and became the subject of one of the best known American paintings of the 20th century.
THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR by Yewande Omotoso (Fiction)
Hortensia James and Marion Agostino are neighbors. One is black, the other white. Both are successful women with impressive careers. Both are recently widowed, living with questions, disappointments and secrets that have brought them shame. And each has something that the woman next door deeply desires. One day, an unexpected event forces them together. But are these sparks of connection enough to ignite a friendship, or is it too late to expect these women to change?
Coming Soon:
Bookreporter.com's Spring Preview Contests and Feature
Sign Up Now for Contest Alerts!
Bookreporter.com’s Spring Preview contests are right around the corner! Here, we’ll be spotlighting a number of hot new books releasing in the spring --- including NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens, IF NOT FOR YOU by Debbie Macomber, and ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE by Elizabeth Strout --- that you will want to consider adding to your reading list. Starting Tuesday, March 14th at noon ET and continuing through Friday, April 21st at noon ET, we will be hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these books. You’ll have to check the site each day to see which title is being given away --- or you can sign up for our Spring Preview newsletter to be notified when contests go live. We will be sending a special Sneak Preview newsletter on Monday, March 13th.
Click here to sign up for Spring Preview contest alerts.
Enter Our Ongoing Bookreporter.com Contests:
"Word of Mouth" and "Sounding Off on Audio"
The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
ALL THINGS CEASE TO APPEAR by Elizabeth Brundage (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
ALL THINGS CEASE TO APPEAR is a rich, complex portrait of murder in a small town and the dark longings inside each and every one of us that drive us to do inexplicable things.
BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE by Fredrik Backman (Fiction)
The bestselling author of A MAN CALLED OVE and MY GRANDMOTHER ASKED ME TO TELL YOU SHE’S SORRY returns with an irresistible novel about finding love and second chances in the most unlikely of places.
THE DRESSMAKER'S DOWRY by Meredith Jaeger (Historical Fiction)
This gripping debut historical novel is about an immigrant seamstress who disappears in 1876, and a young woman in present-day San Francisco who discovers the wealthy family she married into may have connections to the long-lost dressmaker.
THE GIRL BEFORE by JP Delaney (Psychological Thriller)
In the tradition of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, THE SILENT WIFE and GONE GIRL comes an enthralling psychological thriller that spins one woman’s seemingly good fortune, and another woman’s mysterious fate, through a kaleidoscope of duplicity, death and deception.
THE ODDS OF YOU AND ME by Cecilia Galante (Fiction)
In the vein of Meg Donohue and Sarah Jio, Cecilia Galante’s second novel delivers the powerful story of one young woman who’s faced with an impossible choice --- one that could have her making the biggest mistake of her life.
THE RAINBOW COMES AND GOES: A Mother and Son on Life, Love, and Loss by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt (Memoir)
THE RAINBOW COMES AND GOES is a charming and intimate collection of correspondence between #1 New York Times bestselling author Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, that offers timeless wisdom and a revealing glimpse into their lives.
THE RUNAWAY MIDWIFE by Patricia Harman (Fiction)
From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Hope River series comes a new contemporary midwife novel that asks the question, "Have you ever wanted to leave your life behind?"
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they released in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
GLORY OVER EVERYTHING by Kathleen Grissom (Historical Fiction)
The author of the New York Times bestseller and beloved book club favorite THE KITCHEN HOUSE continues the story of Jamie Pyke, son of both a slave and master of Tall Oakes, whose deadly secret compels him to take a treacherous journey through the Underground Railroad.
THE HEART by Maylis de Kerangal, translated by Sam Taylor (Psychological Thriller)
An international bestseller, THE HEART takes place over the 24 hours surrounding a fatal accident and a resulting heart transplant as life is taken from a young man and given to a woman close to death.
MOST WANTED by Lisa Scottoline (Thriller)
Riveting and fast-paced, with the depth of emotionality that has garnered Lisa Scottoline legions of fans, MOST WANTED poses an ethical and moral dilemma: What would you do if the biological father of your unborn child was a serial killer?
SEX OBJECT : A Memoir by Jessica Valenti (Memoir)
In the tradition of writers like Joan Didion and Mary Karr, SEX OBJECT is a profoundly moving tour de force that is bound to shock those already familiar with Jessica Valenti’s work, and enthrall those who are just finding it.
WILDE LAKE by Laura Lippman (Psychological Suspense)
An African-American man accused of rape by a humiliated girl. A vengeful father. A courageous attorney. A worshipful daughter. Think you know this story? Think again.
This Month's Poll:
Popular Book Group Titles --- Which Have You Read?
Taking a look back at book group titles that were popular over the last eight years (we selected three from each year), which have your book group read?
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CUTTING FOR STONE by Abraham Verghese (2009)
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THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett (2009)
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LITTLE BEE by Chris Cleave (2009)
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THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot (2010)
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ROOM by Emma Donoghue (2010)
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UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand (2010)
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THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir (2011)
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THE PARIS WIFE by Paula McLain (2011)
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STATE OF WONDER by Ann Patchett (2011)
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GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn (2012)
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THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS by M. L. Stedman (2012)
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ME BEFORE YOU by Jojo Moyes (2012)
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THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt (2013)
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A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman (2013)
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ORPHAN TRAIN by Christina Baker Kline (2013)
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ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr (2014)
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THE INVENTION OF WINGS by Sue Monk Kidd (2014)
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STATION ELEVEN by Emily St. John Mandel (2014)
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THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN by Paula Hawkins (2015)
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THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah (2015)
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A SPOOL OF BLUE THREAD by Anne Tyler (2015)
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THE GIRLS by Emma Cline (2016)
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THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Colson Whitehead (2016)
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WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR by Paul Kalanithi (2016)
Click here to vote in the poll by Wednesday, March 8th at noon ET.
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